Ronald McDonald House Charities was born out of the unlikely partnership of Dr Audrey Evans, an oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, McDonald’s and the American Football team, the Philadelphia Eagles. Fred Hill, a player for the Philadelphia Eagles, had a daughter suffering from leukaemia, which prompted the team to raise over $100,000 to support the hospital. This was met with much gratitude from Dr Evans and her team, but also with a request for another $32,000 to fund a house in which the families of the children in the hospital could get proper rest, away from the ward.

In turn, this request was met by Ed Rensi, an area manager for McDonald’s. The company was using the Eagles players as part of an advertising campaign and offered to donate the proceeds from their ‘Shamrock Shake’ to the cause. In return Ed asked that the house be known as the Ronald McDonald House and on 15 October 1974, the first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors. Since then Ronald McDonald House Charities has spread across the world, forming new and independent branches in over 62 regions and countries.

The Malta Chapter of RMHC was established as an independent Foundation in 2012 and is a registered charity (VO/0778).