$42 million expansion makes Ronald McDonald House of Columbus the largest on Earth

The Ronald McDonald House of Columbus is now the largest such facility in the world after a $42 million expansion and upgrade that has added 86 guest rooms, bringing the total number of rooms to 206.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio hosted a celebration this week to show off the expansion, which began with a groundbreaking in March 2021.

The expansion increases the estimated number of families who are able to stay at the facility from around 4,000 to 6,500 annually, according to Dee Anders, CEO and Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.

In addition to adding 86 guest rooms, the improvements include upgrades to the kitchen and dining area, community rooms, green space for families, and a zoo-themed play space.

The renovation also boasts a gaming room with computers for guests and families to use. The outdoor area of the property will have a "healing garden," where guests can get sunlight and meditate. Chefs for the Ronald McDonald House Columbus (RMHC) will use vegetables grown in the garden in their dishes that they serve.

Anders said that the growth of local hospitals and the medical community prompted the expansion of the building, as well as the overall growth of central Ohio.

"In order for us to keep up with the demand, we need to grow," Anders told the Dispatch. "Ohio Health, Ohio State and Nationwide Children's Hospital are growing and that means we need to grow with them."

This expansion is the fifth at the RMHC since it was founded 40 years ago.

Ryan Wilkins, chief marketing officer of Ronald McDonald Charities of Central Ohio, described the improvements as "leaps and bounds" compared to the past.

"It is functionally, visually, far better, without a question," Wilkins told The Dispatch. Although the upgrades mirror a hotel, he said what the RMCH offers for guests and families far excels what hotels offer.

"When you check into a hotel, you're anonymous. Nobody knows who you are. But here, you're with other families, and everybody understands what you're going through. Because you're here for the same reason that everybody else is here. There's that community of common experience that's built, and I truly believe that's the best thing that we have here," said Wilkins.

The Ronald McDonald House of Columbus, situated right across the street from the Nationwide Children's Hospital, serves families whose children are being treated at any of the local hospitals. A "home away from home" for families of ill children, the house is open 365 days a year and offers continuing care suites for children recovering from surgery and receiving treatment at hospitals. Guests are able to stay in the hotel-like rooms for free, and the stay includes complimentary meals, playrooms, laundry facilities, meditation and exercise rooms, and informal gathering areas.

Ronald McDonald House a saving grace for families

Toni and Bruce Burkholder, of Dublin, received the shock of a lifetime in 2010 after their youngest son, then 15-year-old Mark, suffered a traumatic brain injury from hitting his head while skateboarding. He was in a coma for about a month and spent six months recovering in the Nationwide Children's hospital.

"He had to relearn everything. The only thing he could move was his left arm. He had to learn to swallow, walk, talk," said Mrs. Burkholder. As Mark was recovering from his injury, the Ronald McDonald House became "headquarters" for the Burkholder family.

Bruce had already been volunteering his legal services to the local Ronald McDonald House and helped lead the recent expansion efforts when he served as president of the Ronald McDonald House Charity of Central Ohio Board of Trustees.

"Toni and I wanted to make sure there was someone with Mark at all times," said Bruce Burkholder.

"You come to this house, and everybody that works here, whether they're volunteers or employees, they've got the biggest smiles on their face and they're super compassionate," he said. "They made everything easy so all you had to do was concentrate on your injured child."

While Mark was recovering, his parents would do "shift changes" where one of them would stay at Mark's side in the hospital, while the other would be at home with the couple's four other kids.

"The (Ronald McDonald) House gave us a place to stay, a place to eat; they gave us comfort," said Tori Burkholder

Mark has made tremendous progress and is able to walk and talk, although he has around the clock caregivers by his side, she added.

Rosanne Bryant, who took custody of her three-year-old great-great nephew Quinten in 2020, says that the RMCH has played a crucial role while she travels from Eaton, Ohio, to get treatment for Quinten, who was diagnosed with leukemia at 10 months old and recently had a bone marrow transplant.

"I don't have to stay at the hospital 24/7. I can call them one day and they'll have a room ready," said Bryant. "They are very awesome. I love 'em to death here. They've become like family to us."

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ohio was established 40 years ago and accommodates thousands of families each year when they travel to receive medical care for their children. According to their 2022 overview of stats, a little over 4,000 families have stayed at "the House", with some even traveling from 14 different countries. The House provided a total of 83,223 nights, with the average stay being seven nights and the longest stay being 556 nights.

The RMHC will have its annual bake sale on Friday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring donated baked goods from people in the community. Ronald McDonald will appear in person from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The event is open to the public and tours of the newly expanded facility will be available.

@ShahidMeighan

smeighan@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: $42M expansion makes Columbus Ronald McDonald House world's biggest