SAN ANTONIO — An expansion called a miracle. The Ronald McDonald Charities of San Antonio is growing inside CHRISTUS Children's downtown.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Antonio CEO, Travis Pearson, said this growth was made possible by the Hope Hits Harder Cancer Foundation and CHRISTUS Children's.
"Our mission is to provide a home away from home for families whose children are going through a medical crisis," Pearson said.
The expanded services will include eight more rooms, which is on top of the 16 already in place at the hospital. Pearson said the space will essentially have the feel of a home.
"You've got a kitchen," he said. "You've got a laundry room. The bedrooms have bathrooms."
He said the new rooms will allow an additional 125 families, each year, to stay close to their child getting medical care.
"We are full all the time," he said.
CHRISTUS Children's donated the space, and Hope Hits Harder made a $750,000 investment.
"The idea is again to take away all the stress they may be going through while their child is in the hospital so they can solely focus on the needs of their kids," Pearson said.
The stay is free and there's no cap on the length of the stay.
"Just to stay in a hotel in San Antonio for 30 days, driving back and forth from the hospital, eating fast food is $5,000," he said. "If you are here for six months your child needs chemotherapy it is $30,000, that's what it costs that family. And we take away all the stress."
The goal is to have the project complete by late this year. It is budgeted at $1,000,000. If you would like to help, click here.