2nd March 2016

AWC Motorsport Academy announce fundraising partnership with RMHCA

AWC Motorsport Academy Director Johnathan Males, Ethan Wyllie and Team Principal Andrew Walter

AWC Motorsport Academy would like to announce a fund raising partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia.

The collaboration will involve AWC Motorsport Academy working with Brett, Karen and Ethan Wyllie to raise much needed funds for both the Ronald McDonald House Parkville in Melbourne where Ethan and Karen spent three months in late 2015 and early 2016, and the Ronald McDonald House in Hobart.

As many are aware Ethan underwent a major operation in November 2015 to his left leg and foot that required extensive rehabilitation and an extended stay at the Royal Children’s Hospital, during this time Karen and Ethan were support by the Ronald McDonald House in Parkville.

The Academy would like to help the Wyllie family raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House Charity from whom they received so much support themselves.

At each of the remaining Tasmanian Statewide Series race meeting the Academy will be seeking to raise funds by way of donations. The AWC Motorsport Academy will also be seeking donations when attending rounds of the Australian Kart Championships.

My 11 yr. old son Ethan Wyllie had to have major leg surgery in Melbourne at the Royal Children Hospital in Parkville, in November 2015 , after a couple of weeks Ethan needed more surgery , in total Ethan had 3 operations from November until February 2016 , this was such a big ordeal mentally, physically and definitely financially. It made it very tough for us as we had to stay in and out of the hospital the whole time. I gave the Ronald McDonald house a call to see if we could possibly stay there. They were in a position to give us a room for the whole time, they not only helped us with accommodation they were there as a friend , a shoulder to cry on when things were very tough , they showered us with gifts constantly, they enrolled Ethan in their learning program every day for 1 hour to keep up his schooling , they supplied food , clean linen , there were companies that came and cooked our dinner a few times a week , they had enough Christmas gifts for everyone, they made our time there as painless and effortless as they possibly could , we have made lifelong friends at the house. I cannot thank Ronald McDonald house / Staff enough you honestly helped my family through an extremely tough time, when things were really bad and I just wanted to cry uncontrollably Kylie and her staff were there always showing empathy and making us smile. We just can’t thank you enough you guys helped us get through one of our toughest times in our lives.

Love from Karyn , Brett, Emma and Ethan Wyllie

WELCOME TO RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
The house that love built

Like most iconic success stories, Ronald McDonald House began as a little idea that simply refused to stop growing.
Imagine having to spend every night for months camped out in your child’s hospital room, eating food from vending machines and all the while trying to stay positive and happy for the sake of your seriously ill youngster.
That was the case for American football hero Fred Hill, in 1974, when his three-year-old daughter Kim was diagnosed with leukaemia. The Philadelphia Eagles star and his wife were forced to sleep on benches in hospital hallways as their daughter received vital treatment. All around them they saw other parents suffering the same fate. Many had travelled long distances to bring their children to the hospital and most couldn’t afford long-term hotel accommodation.
Fred rallied his team-mates to raise money for families in need. A deal between the team’s General Manager and the head of paediatric oncology at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia resulted in the purchase of a seven-bedroom house to serve as accommodation for families with sick children.
Local McDonald’s restaurant owners joined forces and organised a special sale of mint-flavoured milkshakes to raise money to renovate the house. They brought in over US$35,000. The relationship between the restaurants and the charity grew from there.
The charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), now operates in over 36 countries at over 338 properties that collectively offer over 6000 bedrooms to families with seriously ill children. RMHC’s sole purpose is to help those families to lead happier and healthier lives. In 1981 the first Australian Ronald McDonald House opened in Sydney’s Camperdown. There are now 15 Ronald McDonald Houses in Australia that have collectively provided over 68,000 families with over 1.2 million bed nights.
McDonald’s Australia pays all of the administration and management costs, meaning every cent given by donors goes directly to programs that benefit children. Those programs go way beyond the Houses themselves. The Ronald McDonald Learning Program allows children that have suffered a serious illness to catch up on their education. Five Ronald McDonald Family Retreats in popular holiday destinations around Australia give families with sick children the chance to take a holiday.
Cord Blood Banks, which collect umbilical cord blood for its high stem cell content, have RMHC as their major private funder. Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and Family Facilities at an ever-growing list of Australian hospitals provide a comfortable retreat for parents going through the stress of looking after their seriously ill children.
The RMHC Charlie Bell Scholarship Program, named after the first Australian global McDonalds Corporation CEO, provides financial assistance to deserving young people that have experienced a serious illness.
Add to these projects numerous research grants, annual charity balls, fundraising bike rides and much more, and RMHC adds up to a fearsome ally in the effort to improve the lives of seriously ill children and their families.