South Texas Health System staff and guests recently celebrated the opening of a Ronald McDonald Family Room at Edinburg Children's Hospital.

Edinburg Children's Hospital has teamed with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Rio Grande Valley and opened a new Ronald McDonald Family Room -- the first of its kind in the Rio Grande Valley. The new room, located on the hospital's third floor, features three bedrooms, a living room/lounge area, kitchen, bathroom and shower facilities and a laundry room.

"Ronald McDonald Family Rooms are comfortable places where parents can relax, sleep, shower and eat. They're only steps away from their children's hospital rooms," says Gayle Reger, Executive Director at Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.

"We serve children all across the Valley, and many families have to travel quite a distance to come to the hospital," says Linda Resendez, CEO at Edinburg Children's Hospital. "The Ronald McDonald Family Room is a sanctuary for parents, a home away from home. It's a private place where they can recoup their strength so they can deal with the challenges their children are facing."

A dedicated Ronald McDonald Family Room manager oversees daily operations and works closely with hospital staff to identify parents who are eligible to stay in the facility. Volunteers also are available to help families through comfort, support and friendship. Donations help stock the Ronald McDonald Family Room with food and supplies.

For more information, please call 956-388-6394.

c/o Marketing Department 1400 W. Trenton Rd. Edinburg, Texas 78539