Since 1999, the Ronald McDonald House has been the second home to thousands of families and children seeking treatment at the paediatric ward, Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM UKM).
FOR Teruna Timpal, 51, his three-year stay at the Ronald McDonald House (RMH) between 2013 and 2016 provided tremendous support as he accompanied his daughter, who was just two years and six months old when diagnosed with leukaemia, through her treatment.
Hailing from Sepang, Selangor, he and his daughter, now aged 15, return to the home once a year for her treatments.
He isn’t the only beneficiary of this home, which has helped thousands of families since it opened in 1999.
RMH is one of the four core programmes under Ronald McDonald House Charities Malaysia (RMHC Malaysia), established in February 1990 as a non-profit organisation to improve the health and well-being of underprivileged children.
Apart from RMH, RMHC Malaysia operates three other programmes supporting health, education and welfare: Ronald McDonald Sensory Room, the Gift of Smile programme and the Back to School Pack programme.
Over the past 35 years, RMHC Malaysia has impacted more than 200,000 children with over RM60mil in funding, raised through donations at McDonald's restaurants and corporate sponsorships.
This month marks the return of the Community Month for McDonald’s Malaysia and RMHC, an annual programme that celebrates the community spirit and McDonald's Malaysia's corporate social responsibility (CSR) in supporting child welfare and health nationwide.
Since its opening, the RMH at HCTM UKM has been the second home for many families of paediatric patients receiving treatment at the hospital.
Through this initiative, RMH ensures that every family has access to safe and comfortable accommodation within the hospital area, allowing them to focus on their children without worrying about travel and accommodation expenses.
Each room at the RMH can accommodate up to six people (two adults, four children).
RMHC Malaysia welcomed the media for a tour of the facility at HCTM UKM.
The three-storey bungalow houses 18 air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, complete with amenities such as a kitchen, reading corner, children’s playground, laundry room and a mini gym.
Most guests at the home are families of school-aged children receiving cancer treatment and other critical illnesses. The longest stays range from two to five years, like Teruna’s family.
For Nur Hazwani Harun, whose 13-year-old son Muhammad Aisy Al Amin ZulFadhli has chronic lung disease, the home has been an invaluable relief, as the cost of spending the night outside of the hospital is high.
From Gombak, Selangor, Hazwani initially travelled back and forth between her home and the hospital, before settling in at RMH to be closer to her son.
"Before we got a place there, we had to sleep in the car to ensure we could be at the hospital as quickly as possible when the doctor wanted to meet with us regarding my child's condition," said Hazwani.
To qualify for the home, patients must be newly diagnosed and live far away. Eligibility is determined based on family income through assessment by the hospital’s Department of Medical Social Work (JKSP), said RMHC Malaysia general manager Mohd Nasri Mohd Nordin.
New patients can pick a free gift from the ‘Treasure Box’ in the lobby at the home.
Children’s specialist hospital diagnostics and health sciences deputy director Datin Dr Anita Sulong said the house complemented the hospital’s mission to provide holistic healthcare.
“The close relationship between parents and children during the treatment period not only provides emotional peace to the little patients, but also helps the overall recovery process.
“We have seen firsthand how facilities like the Ronald McDonald House have a positive impact on the psychological well-being of the families of pediatric patients,” said Anita.
The home serves nearly 1,000 families per year. Between January to August 2025 alone, there was an occupancy rate of 82%.
Besides HCTM UKM, three other RMH locations in Malaysia include: Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan; Tunku Azizah Hospital in Kuala Lumpur; and Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas.
The home accepts children 18 and below, and is open to both locals and foreigners seeking treatment in Malaysia.
