From riding a bike to walking again: Sick kids share how donations help

A donation of $35 gives kids like three-year-old Aeson 'more time to play chef with Mom and Dad.'

A new campaign for Ronald McDonald House Charities puts real families in the spotlight, letting them share how donations from the public help them create lasting memories.

With facilities in Vancouver and Surrey, Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon serves as a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families who are being treated in Vancouver. The house in Vancouver serves about 2,000 families each year, and contain 73 suites. The facility in Surrey hosts more than 700 families a year.

Launched ahead of Family Day, the "Gift a Moment" campaign is made up of 73 individual fundraisers each posted on crowdfunding site GoFundMe, to give donors an idea of what their money means to the families who use RMH.

The "moments" donors contribute to may seem like everyday occasions for most families, but for those with sick children, the everyday activities are ones to be cherished. Many of the fundraising pages share the stories of real families who are thankful for the moments some families may find mundane.

Some of the individual fundraisers have already met their goals.

"Levelling up" aimed to raise $33 to give "Trayton more time to play video games with Mom."

Trayton Royer, an eight-year-old from Dawson Creek, was diagnosed with brain cancer. Within hours of the diagnosis, his pregnant mother packed up Trayton and his younger sister and rushed to Vancouver for treatment.

"They spent the first few weeks living in the hospital and hotels, but eventually found a home at Ronald McDonald House, bringing a bit more normalcy back into their lives," the page said.

For Trayton, the best part of staying in RMH was getting to play video games while his mom cheered him on, a happy distraction from his treatment.

While staying at RMH, the family welcomed Trayton's baby sister Annabelle into the world.

The person who donated to Trayton's campaign wrote, "From one gamer to many other little gamers."

Another fundraiser that has reached its goal is one called "Banging pots and pans," a moment that most parents and children can relate to.

A donation of $35 gives kids like three-year-old Aeson (see photo above, illustration by Adela Kang below) "more time to play chef with Mom and Dad."

The toddler featured in this story was diagnosed with cancer at just 13 months, and his family had to leave their home in Penticton for extensive treatment in Vancouver. The Moen family found a place to call home in their suite at RMH, and Aeson got a chance to be a regular kid, entertaining his parents as they cooked a family dinner.

Donors also contributed to "Taking off the training wheels," a campaign featuring four-year-old Marek who learned to ride a two-wheeler while staying at RMH.

Marek and his mother had to leave their home in Whitehorse to get treatment in Vancouver, but he was still able to achieve a goal of most kids his age.

Four-year-old Maisie Jayawickreme, featured in "Playing make-believe," contracted a rare virus that partially paralyzed the right side of her body.

She was rushed from Nanaimo to BC Children's Hospital, where doctors told her parents they were unsure whether she'd ever walk again.

The brave girl initially stayed in hospital, but eventually got strong enough to stay at RMH with her family. While there, she often visited the "Magic Room," a playroom that features interactive holograms.

It was there where the girl stood up, found her balance, and started walking for the first time since she'd fallen ill.

While some of the GoFundMe pages have already raised their goals, many have had no donors as of Monday afternoon.

Moments include digging up worms, braiding a sister's hair, staying up late with dad, flying a kite and giving a teddy bear a check-up. Making paper airplanes, throwing water balloons, sticking the landing of a cartwheel and learning to read also topped the list.

Ronald McDonald House serves as a home base for families as their children are being treated, but it also gives families a chance to continue sharing everyday moments with their kids.

"The campaign gets at the heart of what we do, and shows that every donation can make a big difference in the lives of these families and their children," RMH BC CEO Richard Pass said.

Donations can be made on GoFundMe or on the Ronald McDonald House website.