Completely renovated Living Room in Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital opened

The Living Room of Ronald McDonald Huis Utrecht has been indispensable on the second floor of the WKZ since 2011. After all those years, the room was in need of a major refurbishment and thanks to sponsors, donators and the efforts of the 60 active volunteers of the Living Room, the result has become truly beautiful; a warm haven of peace close to the wards of the children’s hospital.

The spacious Living Room of 240 m² is spread over three floors and is equipped with all conveniences to make a visit as pleasant as possible. For example, parents can retreat to one of the nine separate seating areas to unwind, have a cup of coffee or work between hospital appointments. For siblings, there are various play areas and a real gaming corner. There is even a bedroom, and should parents be short of laundry for their sick child, the washing machine and dryer offer a solution.

On average, the Living Room receives about 1,850 visitors a month. Parents, siblings and sick children get away from the hospital atmosphere for a while. ‘In the Living Room of the WKZ, the hospital feels far away fore a while. It is a warm place where parents and children can relax and feel at home,’ says Kathelijn van Glabbeek, assistant manager Ronald McDonald Huis Utrecht. The volunteers in the Living Room are available to parents 365 days a year for a cup of coffee or a listening ear; from Monday to Friday from 8.00-21.30, and on weekends from 12.00-21.00. Kathelijn: ‘We get some lovely and nice reactions, the parents find it a wonderful and pleasant place with very kind volunteers. And that, of course, is why we do it.’

The Ronald McDonald Living Room at the WKZ is one of 12 living rooms in the Netherlands where parents and family members can find peace and quiet in the middle of the hospital, between all the examinations and treatments of the sick child. Recent research has shown that 96% of parents said they gained new energy by staying in the Living Room, and cooperation with the treatment team also went more smoothly because they could be close to their sick child.