The Moore family spent five months in Ronald McDonald House in Christchurch this year, after their daughter, Grace, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
"You can’t put a dollar amount on the support," Paula Moore, Grace’s mother said.
"It was just phenomenal."
The Moores, Paula and Alex, a teacher at Remarkables Primary School, have three children — identical twin daughters Grace and Sophie (3) and son Beau (1).
Grace’s brain tumour was diagnosed in Dunedin Hospital in May after she presented with stroke-like symptoms. Doctors could not operate because of the tumour’s location and the family flew to Starship Hospital in Auckland, where they learnt the tumour was not cancerous. The family stayed at the Auckland Ronald McDonald House.
After 10 days, they were told they could return to Cromwell and have treatment in Dunedin.
But when they returned home, Grace’s condition started to worsen and after a visit to a GP they were in a helicopter, travelling to Christchurch Hospital, where Grace could receive treatment and care.
The family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House by the central hospital in Christchurch for five months over winter and spring in case Grace had to be rushed to hospital.
The Moores returned home last week, after months of chemotherapy.They were looked after very well at the house, they said.
"They provided everything for you to make your own breakfast," Mrs Moore said.
Volunteers cooked other food, and celebrities sometimes visited to meet the children.
In the last few months Grace had been getting better.
"We found out a couple of weeks ago that the tumour’s shrinking," Mr Moore said.
But the tumour is inoperable so Grace needs ongoing care. She needed to travel to Dunedin three times over the next three fortnights, then visit monthly.
The family was not sure where they would stay, but probably at a motel, for which they would likely be reimbursed.
If a Ronald McDonald House was available in Dunedin, they would far prefer to stay there, Mrs Moore said.
The family’s time at Ronald McDonald House had been "life-changing".
"It’s strengthened our family a huge amount and we couldn’t have done it on our own."
"I just want people to get an appreciation of how crucial the place is to Grace’s recovery and support for us when we really needed it. I cannot fault it."
