Barrie McDonald’s restaurants are rallying the community to support Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s (RVH) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Ronald McDonald House Toronto this McHappy Day—Thursday, May 8.
A portion of proceeds from every menu item sold on McHappy Day will go directly to RVH, helping to build a state-of-the-art NICU designed for healing, privacy, and advanced care.
Small Spaces. Big Needs.
RVH’s current NICU cares for up to 12 newborns who need extra support at the very start of life. Each care space in the open-concept unit is just 35 square feet—about the size of a coat closet. The standard is nearly five times that amount. While NICU babies may be small, their care needs are anything but. Life-saving equipment, dedicated space for families, and room for care teams to work are all essential—and in the current unit, every inch is stretched to its limit.
“When space is tight, families lose moments they can’t get back—quiet time to bond, privacy to process, and room to support their baby’s healing,” said Natalie Sherrit, Manager of Paediatrics and NICU at RVH. “An expanded NICU will change all of that with private, state-of-the-art spaces.”
Putting Families First.
Local McDonald’s owners/operators Jason and Jennifer O’Neill, and Trevor and Andrea McKee, have chosen RVH’s NICU as their local McHappy Day beneficiary for their eighth year.
“Barrie is a community with heart—we show up for each other,” said Jason, McDonald’s Owner-Operator. “McHappy Day is one of the ways we can give back and stand with RVH’s tiniest patients and the families who love them.”
When babies require more advanced care than RVH can provide, they are often transferred to SickKids in Toronto. In those cases, Ronald McDonald House Toronto becomes a lifeline for families.
“When a baby is transferred to SickKids, families have to drop everything and follow,” said Trevor, McDonald’s Owner-Operator. “That’s where Ronald McDonald House makes a difference. It gives families a place to stay, close to their baby, when being together matters most.”
A Community Rallies Together.
Mary-Anne Frith, Vice-Chair of the RVH Foundation Board and Chair of the Keep Life Wild campaign, sees McHappy Day an example of how something you already love to do can have a big impact.
“It might feel like just your favourite burger and fries—but McHappy Day turns a simple meal into comfort, care, and healing spaces for our smallest ‘fries’ and their families,” said Mary-Anne. “Our community always steps up—whether walking in or driving through—to support the specialized care only RVH can provide for growing families. We could not be more grateful.”
