Russia’s first-ever Ronald Mcdonald house marks its third anniversary

On July 8, Kazan's Ronald McDonald House, 'home away from home' accommodation for families with children in hospital, celebrated its third anniversary. To mark this special occasion, a big celebration was organised for hospitalised children who are receiving treatment at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital and their families.

A roundtable was held as part of the celebrations to discuss support options for families that found themselves in difficult straits. The event was attended by Director General of the Directorate for Sports and Social Projects, Azat Kadyrov; Chief Medical Officer of the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital, Rafael Shavaliev; Director of the Ronald McDonald House in Kazan, Yulia Markova, and local media.

The Ronald McDonald House is a unique project. It’s a place to stay for families with hospitalised children who are receiving treatment at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health Care of the Republic of Tatarstan. Since its opening, the Ronald McDonald House welcomed up to 4,000 patients and their families  from all over Tatarstan and neighboring regions. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) operates over 350 houses throughout the world, however the Ronald McDonald House in Kazan is the first and only house in Russia.

To mark the third anniversary, a big celebration was organised for children treated at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital. It started with a masterclass hosted by Young Guard representative, Stanislava Kudryashova. After that the children were treated to a concert featuring popular Tatar dance groups and singers. The concert ended with a dance performance symbolising friendship and mutual support: the dance number was performed by children who are undergoing or have already finished treatment at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital, as well as children of Ronald McDonald House volunteers and staff.