Ronald McDonald House Tooting held their annual family reunion day last Sunday for families who have previously stayed together to catch up on each of their child’s progress.

Ronald McDonald House Charities offers a ‘home away from home’ for the families of sick children to enable them to maintain a degree of normal family life. The Houses can accommodate a family for days, weeks or even years.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, MP for Tooting, attended the reunion, picking out raffle winners and giving a speech about the bravery of the families and staff working and living in the House.

She said: “I’ve had the honour of working with the team here since I was elected just over two years ago. The bravery of the parents, of the siblings, of the children themselves who have had to be in hospital, but of the staff here who give themselves and then go home and continue living it, feeling it, feeling the pain of the families.

“I’ve never been more inspired. I’m just so blown away and moved to tears when I visit. You guys really are a testament to the very best of humanity.”

Ronald McDonald House Tooting houses over 100 families every year whilst their children are being treated at the nearby St George’s Hospital.

Rachel Tween, House Manager of Tooting, unveiled a tribute later in the afternoon for a young girl named Amy who had beaten the odds of a brain tumour and her friendship with a little girl called Ellie, who was not as fortunate.

Speaking in the House’s living room, Rachel said: “My special memory from this room is of two remarkable young ladies. Amy and Ellie would come over to the House from St George’s Hospital every day at 4pm whilst receiving treatment. They developed this really amazing friendship.

“Amy has already done so much. She’s survived having a brain tumour removed that was the size of a golf ball after being giving a 1 per cent chance of survival.

“So we have had a plaque put up to commemorate Amy and Ellie with photos of their time in the House”.

For the latest news and updates about Ronald McDonald House Charities, please visit www.rmhc.org.uk.