After being airlifted to the Alberta Children’s Hospital for the third time, three-year-old Henry Jensen struggled to breathe on his own. His mother, Lisa Jensen, accompanied him while the hospital staff did everything they could to help him. 

Once a breathing tube was inserted and he was stable, Henry was moved to the pediatric intensive care unit. After such an intense day, Lisa wasn't in the right headspace – she couldn't figure out how to care for herself as she wasn't prepared to be away from home.

That's when the Ronald McDonald House Charities^® Alberta (RMHC), one of the charities supported by the CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation, jumped in. Their staff and volunteers gave Lisa and her son toiletries, food, and most importantly, a place to stay.

Throughout Henry's treatment, the Jensen family spent over 300 nights at RMHC, where they met wonderful employees, volunteers, and families.

"We were going through the most stressful times of our lives," says Lisa Jensen. "We were giving everything we had to take care of our son and had no capacity left to take care of ourselves. RMHC took care of that for us."

Being close to the hospital helped the Jensen family focus on Henry when he needed them the most.

"Our precious child deserved as much of the attention as we could give him, and the gift of that time is invaluable," Jensen adds.

Since their first buildings were constructed in Alberta in 1985, the Ronald McDonald House Charities^® Alberta has supported over 50,000 families seeking vital medical treatment for their seriously sick or injured child with a private family suite. Stays can last up to a few nights, or as long as several weeks or months.

Unfortunately, there are times when suites aren't immediately available for families, and, currently, RMHC Alberta only serves 14% of the need for services – requiring a transformational expansion to keep up with the growing demand.

For this reason, in 2022, the CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation supported the Big Build Campaign with a $1 million Legacy Grant to support the expansion of RMHC Alberta's Calgary location.

This award is helping create an additional 91-family suite facility, expected to open in early 2025.

"This is a tripling of capacity for RMHC Alberta and would not have been possible without the generosity and support of the CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation," says Suzanne Pescod, director of marketing and communications at RMHC Alberta. 

Pescod says that nearly 70% of families in Canada who need specialized or vital pediatric care need to travel to access the medical care they require, that's why having a home-away-from-home during the hardest times is not a nice to have, it's a necessity.

"The CREB^® REALTOR Community Foundation has a special connection to understanding what HOME means for a family, and their alignment with RMHC Alberta is a demonstration of their commitment to keeping people housed, even when they're away from home," adds Pescod.

When Henry's health improved, he took his first steps in the playroom at the RMHC Calgary house, and his parents made lifelong friends with other families who also stayed there. They supported each other and built a community around their shared experiences.

Henry is now stable but requires ongoing treatment. The Jensen family remains thankful that they had a safe place to stay while they figured out a permanent move to Calgary.

After securing a new home, the family said their goodbyes to the most special place they ever lived.

"RMHC is a ray of sunshine that helped us through the storm of raising our son and through the good and bad days," says Jensen.

"We are forever grateful."

The Legacy Grant is the Foundation's signature funding stream designed to create new housing options. For more information about CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation, click here. For more information about the expansion of RMHC Alberta, please visit www.rmhcalbertabuild.org.

The CREB^® REALTOR^® Community Foundation is empowered by the support of our members — the community of REALTORS^® who live, work and give back here.

You can strengthen your support and help create new housing, keep people housed, and improve housing quality for Calgarians in need by joining our Friends of the Foundation program. Click here to become a Friend.