Phil and Sarah Whiteley stayed at the Ronald McDonald Family Room while Montgomery was in special care. Picture: KYLIE ESLER
THE parents of Montgomery Whiteley are among hundreds to benefit from the Wodonga Ronald McDonald family room since it opened three years ago.
The room celebrated its third anniversary last night with a birthday party for more than 60 families that have used the facilities.
Volunteers and businesses that have supported it joined in.
Three days after Monty was born, a flash test revealed two cephalohaematomas, a bleed between the skull and the membrane that lines it. He was sent to the special care nursery.
Sarah and Phil Whiteley, of Greg Greg, north-east of Corryong, described their stay at the family room as “fantastic”.
“I don’t know what people did before this house was here,” Mrs Whiteley said.
For Monty’s feeds, they only had to walk down the hall when they got a phone call in the middle of the night saying ‘come over, he’s awake’, instead of driving, Mr Whiteley said.
Program co-ordinator Maureen Nicholls described the family room as a “day haven” for those who needed it.
“When they come through the doors they should feel like they’ve left the clinical area,” Ms Nicholls said.