It all began in 1973 when Philadelphia Eagles football player Fred Hill and his wife, Fran, learned that their daughter, Kim, had leukemia.
In The Beginning
While receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), they met other families who drove hours to the hospital to be with their children, only to sleep overnight in waiting room chairs and eat from vending machines because they had nowhere else to go.
Fred and Fran Hill decided to do something for these families, teaming up with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dr. Audrey Evans and local McDonald’s owner/operators. McDonald’s gift of the Shamrock Shakes’ proceeds made it possible to purchase and restore a house near the hospital where these families could stay and the first Ronald McDonald House was born.
Oh, how we’ve grown!
Today there are 366 Ronald McDonald Houses worldwide and 242 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and counting!
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