Like many families, the Mitchells had often supported local fundraising initiatives like McHappy Day without really giving it a second thought beyond what they wanted on their cheeseburger.
All that changed, however, after their youngest son Jayden was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) — a condition causing an irregular, fast heartbeat — when he was six months old. He was rushed to SickKids Hospital in Toronto for treatment.
Over the course of Jayden’s treatment, the Barrie family ended up spending 20 days living at Ronald McDonald House, one of the organizations that benefits from the annual fundraiser.
In the summer of 2022, Jayden was hospitalized several times, says mom Stephanie Mitchell, adding it was during that time the family had the opportunity to stay at Ronald McDonald House.
“It was a huge relief, (not just) financially but also for the amount of support they provided," she said. "We would pay for hotels and it was hundreds of dollars a night just for us to stay close. Making that commute when your child is critically ill, and they’re not sure what the plans would be, we couldn’t leave Jayden — or each other — alone.”
Their oldest son, who was four at the time, was initially being cared for by various family members, but keeping the family together was also a huge relief, Stephanie admitted.
“Jaxon was able to come and have some kind of normalcy with us,” she said. “It’s so cliche, but it really felt like home.”
Today (May 8) marks the 30th anniversary of McHappy Day and members of the Mitchell family want to let people know that their participation in events like this really do make a difference.
“We’d always heard about and participated in fundraisers like McHappy Day, and we’d heard of Ronald McDonald House, but never thought we would need it," Stephanie said. "I just remember the very first day we walked through the doors, the volunteer was giving us our tour and was just so sympathetic and understanding and wanting to do anything to make our day better.
“Having our own space and having somewhere to cook or having food prepared … was such a big thing," she added.
Jayden’s journey has been challenging for the whole family, she says, but they are happily now on the other side, with Jayden ultimately undergoing surgery in October 2022 to correct the condition. He has since made a full recovery, his mom told BarrieToday.
“He’s great. We have had no more SVTs. He’s completely healed from that … and he is a happy, energetic preschooler,” Stephanie said. “He’s actually just been discharged from SickKids formally. It’s such a big step and a little nerve-wracking, letting go of that security blanket, but we know it’s positive.”
McHappy Day is an opportunity for individuals and communities across Canada to show their support for families with sick children through Ronald McDonald’s House Charities (RMHC) and other children’s charities.
Throughout the day, a portion of the proceeds from all McDonald’s menu items sold will be donated to RMHC, making a meaningful difference in the lives of families with sick children.
“We really didn’t feel the impact until we needed it," Stephanie said. "Having people come out and support McHappy Day, it just helps so many families stay close to their sick child and give them a place to call home temporarily that they can go back to at the end of a long day.
"To have a place to have a hot shower, something to eat and somewhere to sleep is so important."
