It's McHappy Day across Canada and this is why it's important to support it

| September 22, 2021 in Provincial

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Well there's no reason to feel guilty for splurging on fast food on Sept. 22, because a portion of proceeds purchased from every item at McDonald’s will be going towards helping out the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) and other local children's charities.

In Canada, 65% of families live outside a city with a children's hospital and must travel for treatment if their child is seriously ill.

The 16 Ronald McDonald Houses and 17 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms across the country give families an opportunity to stay together when coming from out of town.

Annually, RMHC supports over 26,000 families from over 3,400 communities, providing not only a place to stay but a safe place to call home.  

In 2016, one Kelowna based family stayed in the Ronald McDonald house in Vancouver for close to 400 nights while their four year old son Anthony battled with cancer.

Lindsay Relvas, Anthony’s mom said: “You hope no one you know ever has to use it, but it is reassuring to know that if someone you care about does need it, it's there for them.”

After traveling back and forth between home and Vancouver for over 18 months, the entire family was extremely grateful for the support that was provided by Ronald McDonald House to help them get through an extremely difficult time. 

“I will never be able to do enough to thank Ronald McDonald House, it feels like home. Like it’s not home and you're always aware of that, but it feels like your safe place. It’s like your fortress in the storm,” Relvas explained. 

Two years ago, the Relvas family was able to participate in a McHappy Day on Reid's Corner in Kelowna where Anthony and his sister helped work the drive thru and gave orders dressed in their favorite superhero costumes. 

Anthony is now marked as having no signs of the disease, and he and his family continue to support McHappy Day as Ronald McDonald House had supported them. 

“McHappy day is the one day where you can eat as much McDonald's as you want completely guilt free," said Relvas. "If you ever see an opportunity to support Ronald McDonald house, I highly recommend it because it is one of the most worthy causes you could ever be a part of."

This year marks the 27th annual McHappy Day, and the best way to support it is by purchasing any food/drinks items from the McDonald’s menu on Sept. 22, or by making a direct donation to the Ronald McDonald House. 

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