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 JoAnne Ryan, whose nursing background at Rochester Regional Health spans 23 years, describes herself as “one of the luckiest CEOs in Rochester, working with passionate and compassionate leaders.” When she became President of Volunteers of America, she fell in love with not-for-profit, which she describes as a powerful but misunderstood mission. Since 2021, she has been President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which hosts 387 missions in 68 countries. There are 176 U.S. chapters, with 9 in New York State (Monroe and contiguous counties). The Rochester chapter is one of the largest in the state. In 2023, over 22 million families were served on a global level, including 3,000 in NYS.
 Read more about the award-winning executive’s career trajectory here
Ronald McDonald House provides food, transportation, and lodging for families of sick children because when families are in place, outcomes are more positive. The organization also helps clinicians. Service is not limited to cancer patients, although an oncologist was the co-founder. The three top diagnoses are premature birth, along with cardiac and respiratory illnesses. Some children with eating disorders are also treated. The average length of stay is 11 days, and families of premature infants have stayed all 365 days of the year. To highlight the global context as well as the biomedical diversity of the patients, JoAnne tells a profound story of a 19-year-old Englishman of Indian descent who was in Rochester on a work study. He fell 25 feet from a zipline and sustained life challenging injuries. When he was placed in a medically induced coma for 3 weeks, his family flew in from England to be by his side. Indian spices were purchased so that the patient’s mother could prepare and freeze home-cooked meals to serve when he could take nutrition. This young man is determined to walk again. Westmoreland House, which was like a small hotel with a kitchen, was opened in 1990. Community members participate in the “Make-a-Meal” initiative to prepare home cooking that is also healthy. JoAnne points out that families are always asked whether they have eaten or slept. In 2005, the House within Strong Hospital opened. It is one of the first of its kind within the U.S. and one of only 19 such family-centered facilities in the world, where families could stay near pediatric patients. The Family Room at Golisano Children’s Hospital was launched in 2015 so that families could meet basic needs such as laundry and even take a shower. Proud of the many RMHC innovations, JoAnne stated that 2018 was a landmark year, with the inauguration of the Family Room at the URMC Mental Health and Wellness Center, the first of its kind in the U.S. for pediatric mental health patients. The Hospitality Cart also made its appearance in 2018, offering nutritious snacks to keep youngsters from getting “hangry.” Facilities expanded to include Rochester Regional Health in 2021, when sleep rooms opened at Unity Hospital for parents to be near their infants and children, and the new Family Lounge at Rochester General began to offer snacks and beverages in a quiet atmosphere. The opening of a brand new NICU and family facility at Rochester General is projected for the near future. Some people have asked JoAnne whether or not RMHC only serves McDonald’s food. While this is not the case, there is a co-branding with McDonald’s that began in 1974, after Philadelphia Eagles player Fred Hill’s daughter was successfully treated for leukemia. Together with Hill and his teammates, Dr. Audrey Evans is credited as being the charity’s co-founder and initiator of family-centered care. (See the synopsis of the movie Audrey’s Children here. Kim Hill, who was initially diagnosed with leukemia at age 5, lived to be 43). Ronald McDonald House began as a small wing, and then a 7-room fraternity house was transformed into the home away from home we all know today. A fun fact is that the Shamrock Shake, which originally was a flop in 1973, was sold for a quarter apiece as a fundraiser. Enough money was generated from sales to build the house after all. Any round-up change at McDonald’s restaurants goes toward Ronald McDonald House. JoAnne asserts that 50 years later, we provide a continuum of family-centered care with a homey feel. Fresh produce satisfies the need for nutrition, while the mental health component allows for respite for the caregivers. Telehealth will be delivered to the most fragile children to address transportation barriers. We meet families where they are, especially when some leave with empty arms. Here are some Ronald McDonald House events: February: Have A Heart, where informational tables are set up at a mall. March: All-Star Basketball. This year the scoreboard had to flip over past 100 because of the players’ skill. April 20: Glitz &Gatsby Gala September 22: Telethon November 7: Casino Night There is always a need for community ambassadors for Make-a-Meal. The next major event will take place on June 1: Rochester Red Wings Hits for the House. |
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