This month, 36 determined riders hop on their bikes and ride through the South West for the Ride for Sick Kids 2016.
Over four days, the group will be cycling more than 370km from Margaret River to Nedlands, including through Mandurah, to raise vital funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities and its programs including Family Rooms, Family Retreats, Ronald McDonald Learning Program and Ronald McDonald Houses.
By providing a home away from home, Ronald McDonald Houses allow families to stay with their sick children while receiving hospital treatment.
Ronald McDonald House Perth has this year alone (up to June 2016), provided 5,065 nights of accommodation to 504 families.
There are now 16 Ronald McDonald Houses in Australia, which has collectively provided over 103,000 families with more than 2.9 million bed nights.
Ronald McDonald Family Retreats (located in Bunbury and Jurien Bay) and an ever-growing number of Family Rooms situated in hospitals around Western Australia also provide respite and a well-needed break for parents going through the worry of caring for their seriously ill child.
“When you see a family going through something as horrible as dealing with childhood illness, you want to do everything in your power to make sure that they are taken care of,” Forest Lakes, Gosnells and Maddington McDonald’s licensee Nick Agostino said.
“This is where Ronald McDonald House Charities step in, providing vital support for families that need it most.
“Princess Margaret Hospital for Children is the only specialist children’s hospital in WA, so Ronald McDonald House Perth often plays host to people who have travelled hundreds of kilometers across the state for the support they need.
“The money raised in the Ride for Sick Kids is crucial in providing the best support services available.”
Since the first ride across Western Australia four years ago, over 1,647 kilometers have been travelled and more than $1 million raised for Ronald McDonald House Charities through donations and purchases of $1 Helping Bikes.
“We’re so happy to be getting back on the road again for this amazing cause,” Mr Agostino said.
“Although I’m sure it will be tough, it will be all worth it when we see the money raised from the ride helping those families in need.”
The riders will pass through Mandurah over the weekend.
