Santa and Mrs. Claus head back inside for some warmth after the lighting of Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer on Dec. 1, 2023. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

"light the house"

After tragedy, Red Deer family turns 2023 Christmas lights on at Ronald McDonald House

Dec 2, 2023 | 1:05 PM

The Brittain family has been through a lot in 2023, spending 108 emotionally heavy days at Ronald McDonald House (RMHC) in Red Deer and Calgary.

The family of five only recently went home on Oct. 29. It was about four months ago when Taylor Brittain went into labour at just 26-weeks pregnant, delivering twins at Red Deer Regional Hospital.

The newborns, Olivia and Riley, were almost immediately transferred to Foothills Hospital in Calgary where Olivia fought as valiantly as an infant could, but tragically passed away from kidney complications at 44-days-young, the family shared with rdnewsNOW.

On Friday, the Brittains had the honour of turning on the annual Christmas lights at Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer, and shared their story in hopes it will inspire others to support the incredibly important work RMHC does.

“Ronald McDonald House was a home away from home. I can’t imagine life without it over these last few months.” says Taylor, who was joined by partner Christian, and daughters Charlotte and Harper, in addition to Riley, for the interview and lighting.

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“It would’ve been a very expensive situation if not for this place. We wouldn’t have been able to see our girls as often, because I stayed here while Christian went to work. We also celebrated Charlotte’s birthday here recently, as well as Thanksgiving. They made it feel like we were at home as much as it could’ve been.”

The Brittains, Taylor, Charlotte, Harper, Christian and Riley, turned on the Christmas lights at Ronald McDonald House in Red Deer on Dec. 1, 2023. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

Taylor says she admires the staff at RMHC and felt quite honoured for her family to turn the lights on, also applauding the work of medical staff at both hospitals and those who got them from one hospital to the other.

As Taylor notes, RMHC is constantly looking for community members to step up to the plate with donations, be it monetary or knitted items such as blankets, or time with a group cooking in the house’s kitchen, among other things.

“We really value being able to provide a home away from home for families, and that doesn’t just mean accommodations and food, it means creating an atmosphere of home. The lights we’ve just turned on here really represent that feeling,” says Reyanne Spina, Associate Director of Guest Services, RMHC Alberta.

“Around this time of year, the magic is really here. It’s Christmas and the holiday season across the province. We really rely on our Santa Sacks program which fills our North Pole Room which is where families can shop for gifts. We also rely heavily on the Home for Dinner program, and especially this time of year, but all year-round, financial contributions help make the magic come to life.”

There are two ways to participate in Santa Sacks 2023.

The first options is sending wish list items directly to your local house through Amazon. Simply click the RMHC Alberta Amazon Wish Lists of your choosing at the link below to see what is on guests’ wish lists. The deadline for that method this year, to ensure gifts are available for families on Christmas, is Dec. 13.

Alternatively, items can be dropped off at the RMHC location of your choice. Email Sandi Ferchau at SFerchau@rmhcalberta.org to confirm your involvement. If using this option, you are still encouraged to check the Amazon Wish Lists in order to personalize gifts.

There are RMHC locations in Red Deer, Edmonton, Calgary and Medicine Hat.

Read more about Santa Sacks here, including links to regional wish lists; for more information about RMHC, visit rmhcalberta.org.