You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
WHO WE SERVE<br />
WHERE OUR FAMILIES ARE FROM<br />
British Columbia — 11.8%<br />
Manitoba — 1.8 %<br />
Maritimes, ON, NT, Yukon,<br />
NU, International — 5.3%<br />
Northern Alberta — 39.8%<br />
Saskatchewan — 17.6%<br />
Southern Alberta — 23.9%<br />
WELCOME HOME<br />
‘Welcome’ feels great, all on its own,<br />
but it feels so much better when<br />
followed by ‘home.’<br />
‘Welcome’ is nice but ‘home’ plants<br />
the seed,with things that we want<br />
and things that we need.<br />
Brodie Aikman<br />
RMHNA dad<br />
GORGICHUK FAMILY<br />
The Gorgichuk family arrived at Ronald McDonald House ® Northern Alberta in early July 2013.<br />
Parents Terry and Carmen, along with older brothers Kian and Noah, came to support 12-year-old<br />
Conor as he underwent kidney transplant surgery. On July 17, Conor received a healthy new kidney<br />
to replace his two unhealthy kidneys. His father Terry was Conor’s living donor. With two members<br />
of the Gorgichuk family receiving major surgery in one day, you can imagine what a stressful time<br />
it was.<br />
Both surgeries were a success. Within 12 hours post surgery, Conor’s high creatinine levels<br />
returned within normal range. Terry was discharged from hospital about a week after surgery and<br />
Conor followed a short time later, after reactions to his medications were sorted. He says that these<br />
days felt very hopeless.<br />
825 FAMILIES STAYED<br />
AT RMHNA IN 2013<br />
Though he is still – and will always be – dependent on medications to regain and maintain his<br />
health, Conor is enjoying a new lease on life. He is literally tasting true flavours of foods for the first<br />
time. Before surgery, he had little to no appetite as food tasted metallic; now Conor is enjoying food<br />
from a new perspective.<br />
REASON FOR STAY<br />
Conor is an avid soccer player and can hardly wait to play again. When asked what brings him hope<br />
since his surgery, Conor replied that having had his whole family with him through the surgery<br />
process and afterwards kept his hope alive and made a huge difference.<br />
Cardiology — 37.3%<br />
Neonatal — 12.5%<br />
Oncology — 10.5%<br />
Transplant — 10.1%<br />
Neurosurgery — 8%<br />
Gastro Intestinal — 6.9%<br />
Other — 14.7%<br />
Conor and his family embody our mission at Ronald McDonald House® Charities:<br />
giving sick kids what they need the most; their families.<br />
Conor Gorgichuk and his father Terry<br />
Check out more family stories at rmhna.ca/familystories
Change language