It starts with a quiet room, the hum of medical machines, and a parent’s anxious eyes fixed on their child’s doctor. Then come the words that split life into “before” and “after”: your child has cancer. This is the reality for 47 families every single day in the United States.
Fifty years ago, only two in ten children survived, and many families had to abandon treatment because they couldn’t afford to stay near the hospital. RMHC Southern California was created to address that - removing barriers to care and surrounding families with the support they need, because when a child is sick, the whole family needs care.
Today, eight in ten children survive their initial diagnosis - but survival is only the first step. Families still face months or years of follow-up care, therapies, and emotional healing. Thanks to your support, we’re here for the long road - offering housing, meals, emotional care, and a community that helps families heal together.
This September, during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, I invite you to #GoGold with RMHCSC - honoring our roots in childhood cancer and our growth to now serve families facing all serious illnesses and injuries. We could not have come this far without you. And right now, your generosity can go even further: every donation this September will be matched, up to $25,000.
Tomorrow, another parent may hear the life-changing words of a cancer diagnosis. Give today and together, we can ensure that double the families will not have to face the journey alone.
Together in service,
Stuart E. Siegel, M.D
Founder and Chair Emeritus
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California
