Grateful Families

If you’ve ever worked at a place where you have the opportunity to read the comment cards or feedback posts from your employer’s customers or clients, you probably have seen your share of disgruntled remarks. After all, even the best-run businesses aren’t perfect. When a family comes to check in here at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, they’re given a checkout sheet so those staying in the House know what their responsibilities are when they are given the good news that their patient has been discharged and it’s time to prepare to go back home. These responsibilities include emptying the waste baskets in the room, pulling the linens off the beds and piling them up, doing a simple cleaning of the bathroom, and making sure surfaces are cleaned. When that’s all done, the checkout sheet instructs the family to come to the front desk to checkout. That’s where they are directed to a Family Service Manager who wraps up the checkout process for them, including taking the completed form from the parent before wishing them well on their journey home. On the back of that check-off list is a survey that we ask a member of the exiting family to complete and a comment section where the guest can leave some thoughts. As you can imagine, except for a very rare few over several months, the responses are always very positive.  Usually, the guest struggles to put into words just how grateful they are for having been able to stay at the House, so close to their child.  Here’s just a recent sampling of some of those comments from various guests over just the last week:

“All child illnesses of course are serious to families, but we met folks in the RM House who had huge & heart breaking stories.  The feeling of everyone being in this together I think is a help to many.  Thank you!”

“Just a thank you for the amazing resource you have provided our family through the years! I cannot tell enough people to send their donations to the RMDH!!  We are so incredibly grateful for the service you provide to the families-including ours!  Thank you!!”

“We had a wonderful stay! Everything was great and I couldn’t ask for more.  This is so convenient for us with hospital appointments and is truly appreciated.  We felt at home away from home.”

“Amazing”

“We loved it.”

“Very helpful to a family that wouldn’t have been able to stay if it wasn’t for Ronald McDonald House. THANK YOU SO MUCH.”

“We love the Ronald McDonald House!”

“I cannot thank you enough.”

“My daughter always looks forward to making banners with Fran. Thank you for all the extra activities.”

“As always, thank you!”

“We appreciate the hospitality & know it would be more difficult getting to & from appointments and affording the lengthy stay since we are from out of state. Thank you!!”

“We found out at the last minute that our pilot could not fly us out on Friday and had to scramble to find a way home. Our last day here was supposed to be Friday but I explained our situation and you guys let us stay one more day.  Thank you so much, that helped a lot and we were able to get a commercial flight home. We cannot thank you all enough for everything.  It was one less thing that we had to worry about and that means everything.” (Many patients and their families come to Ronald McDonald House from across the country.  Some special needs ambulatory patients who have scheduled medical treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital,  use charitable air transportation services donated by owners of private planes and private pilots so they can get to and from Columbus. But sometimes bad weather can force smaller planes to be grounded until the weather clears up.)

“We really appreciate someplace in walking distance of the hospital.”

“Everything was well beyond expectations. Staff was amazing.”

“We really appreciate everything that everyone did to make sure we felt comfortable and at home; it really is one less stress for every parent.”

“We had a wonderful experience and am very pleased and grateful for your services.”

“All was perfect.”

“Thank you for all that you do for all of the families who stay here. It is greatly appreciated!!”

“THANK YOU!”