This month, Toronto Life is shining a powerful spotlight on Ronald McDonald House Toronto — and on the families who show extraordinary courage within our walls every day

We’re honoured to share that the December issue features a deeply moving editorial written as a letter from one Ronald McDonald House Toronto parent, Jenna Devlin, to the next family who will walk through our doors. It’s an honest, vulnerable message about what it feels like when your child is seriously ill — and how the House becomes a lifeline when home suddenly feels out of reach.

You can read the full story here.

A Journey Through the Hardest Days

Jenna and her son, five-year-old Hendrix, have spent much of the past year living between SickKids and Ronald McDonald House Toronto. Their lives changed overnight when Hendrix relapsed with cancer, less than two years after his first diagnosis. What followed were months filled with uncertainty, rapid medical decisions, and a relentless search for treatment options tailored to Hendrix’s rare and complex case.

For nine months, Ronald McDonald House Toronto became their home. A place where they could settle, breathe, and find moments of normalcy in the middle of crisis. Here, Hendrix laughed with friends in the clubhouse, learned with teachers in our onsite school, and played outside whenever he could. Here, Hendrix’s mom and dad found stability, community, and one less thing to worry about when everything else felt fragile.

But their story doesn’t exist only within the House.

When Hendrix underwent his life-saving bone marrow transplant, Jenna lived in a ten-by-twelve hospital room for 42 days — 21 of them in isolation. During that time, the Ronald McDonald House Family Room at SickKids became her refuge. Just steps from Hendrix’s bedside, it offered the essentials that parents in long hospital stays often go without a shower, laundry machines, snacks, hot coffee, and a quiet place to breathe.

These small moments of relief, she says, “meant everything.”

Why Jenna Chose to Share Her Letter

When we asked Jenna why she agreed to write this letter for Toronto Life, her answer was simple:

“If sharing our experience helps the next family feel less alone — or reminds someone how important this House is — then it’s worth it.”

Her letter captures that spirit. It speaks directly to the next parent arriving exhausted and afraid, assuring them that Ronald McDonald House Toronto will hold them with the same care, comfort, and community that held her.

A Spotlight That Helps Families Stay Close

Our partnership with Toronto Life includes the print editorial, a full online story, a digital and social campaign and a feature in an upcoming newsletter. Together, these platforms help share the reality of what families face — and the role donors play in keeping them close to their child’s care.

Stories like Jenna and Hendrix’s remind us why Ronald McDonald House Toronto exists: because when a child is seriously ill, parents shouldn’t have to choose between staying close and having somewhere to sleep, eat, shower, or just be human.

Read the Feature. Share the Story. Help the Next Family. We invite you to read Jenna’s letter and share it with your network. Every share, every conversation, every donation helps ensure the comforts and community she relied on will be here for the next family who needs us.

Read the full story.
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Together, we can make sure no family faces the hardest days alone.