Ronald McDonald House® has helped families from all over Asia in coping with the trials and tribulations of a seriously ill child. Here are just a few of their stories.

Sha Sha Smiles Again
"Sha Sha", is a common girl's name in China. However, what happened to this little "Sha Sha" was most unfortunate.

Sha Sha was born in a small village in Qingdao where her parents are farmers. When she was 4, she was seriously injured when her house burned down in a fire. Sixty percent of her skin was burnt and she was hospitalised for 40 days in her hometown. Though she went through six skin transplant operations that saved her life, the burns on her body restricted her movement. She could not move her head and her fingers webbed together. She became totally dependent on her parents' care.

In their desperate effort to find medical treatment for her, her parents sold all they had, borrowed money from relatives and friends, and begged their way to Shanghai to seek medical help. But they discovered they did not have enough money to do anything there for poor little Sha Sha. Just as hope for Sha Sha's rehabilitation looked dismal, a Hong Kong voluntary medical group came to help. They offered free medical treatment to Sha Sha in Hong Kong, and Ronald McDonald House provided free lodging for the family.

During their stay, the House helped Sha Sha and her family raise funds for their needs in Hong Kong and get sponsorship for free return airfare to China.

After seven operations and many physiotherapy treatments in a span of four months, Sha Sha made substantial progress. She could write with her hands and feed herself, and the scars on her face smoothened.

She is currently back in her hometown and continues her physiotherapy there. She has a long way to go to recovery, but having received the best possible treatment, she is now smiling again.

Mother and Son Recovery
Little Gang-Qian was diagnosed with a giant haemangioma a few days after birth. Because of his tender age and location of the haemangioma, doctors in China hinted to his parents that they should give up on Gang-Qian. But like all parents, they looked for every opportunity and never gave up on Gang-Qian. With the assistance of the Guangzhou International S.O.S. Clinic, treatment was arranged for him in Hong Kong.

Gang-Qian and his mother stayed at the Ronald McDonald House throughout the boy's treatment at the Prince of Wales Hospital. Gang-Qian recovered and progressed well. Mrs. Feng, on the other hand, also 'recovered' with the support and consolation of other parents staying at the House, and with the help of the House's caring staff and volunteers.

More children's stories...

See pictures of other children who have stayed at Ronald McDonald House.