Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital is the first hospital in Richmond and one of the only hospitals in the country to add the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Richmond Happy Wheels cart program to its volunteer services.
On Wednesday, April 15, 2015, St. Mary’s Hospital debuted the cart at its National Volunteer Week Reception.
Many families whose children are undergoing surgery or other procedures wait for hours without being able to leave the hospital. The Happy Wheels cart and Bon Secours volunteers provide comfort as they travel the hospital hallways, bringing parents food and beverages, while keeping the children entertained with toys, books and activities, all at no charge. Happy Wheels serves as a reminder to these families that they have a network of supporters working to bring them relief during a challenging time.
Bon Secours volunteers, serving in co-partnership with RMHC, bring the hospitality cart to pediatric patients and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Units, and Pediatric Care Units. Items are donated to the RMHC by the general community, and they manage the cart, restocking, etc. The cart was generously built and donated by Alex Carpenter, a local middle school student in Richmond, as part of his Eagle Scout project.
