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The Best Experience You Never Want

Brennan and Jason

Thanks to donations from generous people like you, Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area provided the best experience I never wanted to have in my life.``

— Jason, Brennan's dad

Brennan and Jason

Thanks to donations from generous people like you, Ronald McDonald House Charities Bay Area provided the best experience I never wanted to have in my life.``

— Jason, Brennan's dad

Rich Family Story

Brennan and Jason

Together Under One Roof, Supporting Families Facing Medical Crisis

My 5-year-old son, Brennan, was diagnosed with a brain tumor after suffering from seizures. Our family’s world changed in a matter of seconds, but from the moment we got the news from the doctors in Reno, Nevada, I felt like giant arms picked my family up and carried us all to the finish line. For Brennan, my 8-year-old daughter Regan, my mother, and me, RMHC Bay Area made all the difference.

Oddly enough, our trip to Oakland was the best experience I never wanted to have in my life.”
— Jason, Brennan's Dad

Wrapping Families with Support


While the doctors at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital dealt with what Brennan called his “brain bump,” the Ronald McDonald House Oakland helped to heal our hearts. When we first walked through the doors of the House, a volunteer handed Brennan a hand-made quilt. My mom had made quilts as I was growing up and I knew the detail and time they took to create. I thought we were just borrowing it, but it was a gift and became the perfect metaphor for the care that literally wrapped around us at the House.

We felt loved. We were able to be fully present for Brennan, and I can’t imagine what we would have done if the House wasn’t available to us.”
— Jason, Brennan's Dad

By donating today, you can ensure RMHC Bay Area is there for sick children and their families, providing comfort and support when and where they need it most.

Wrapping Families with Support


While the doctors at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital dealt with what Brennan called his “brain bump,” the Ronald McDonald House Oakland helped to heal our hearts. When we first walked through the doors of the House, a volunteer handed Brennan a hand-made quilt. My mom had made quilts as I was growing up and I knew the detail and time they took to create. I thought we were just borrowing it, but it was a gift and became the perfect metaphor for the care that literally wrapped around us at the House.

We felt loved. We were able to be fully present for Brennan, and I can’t imagine what we would have done if the House wasn’t available to us.”
— Jason, Brennan's Dad

By donating today, you can ensure RMHC Bay Area is there for sick children and their families, providing comfort and support when and where they need it most.

Getting Better Together

For Brennan, the House was a wonderland to explore. There was a playroom, a backyard to run around in and so many toys! At one point after we checked in, Brennan ran to the playroom and returned wearing a full Iron Man outfit just as happy as he could be. The next day, he was playing outside riding a tricycle in full Storm Trooper gear. Here was a 5-year-old with a life-threatening brain tumor, and he didn’t have a care in the world! He was just a kid, surrounded by his family and a community that welcomed him in.

We will never forget the generosity of the donors who contribute to RMHC Bay Area, the volunteers who made the House a home, or the staff who stayed by our side throughout it all.`` — Jason, Brennan's Dad

Getting Better Together

For Brennan, the House was a wonderland to explore. There was a playroom, a backyard to run around in and so many toys! At one point after we checked in, Brennan ran to the playroom and returned wearing a full Iron Man outfit just as happy as he could be. The next day, he was playing outside riding a tricycle in full Storm Trooper gear. Here was a 5-year-old with a life-threatening brain tumor, and he didn’t have a care in the world! He was just a kid, surrounded by his family and a community that welcomed him in.

We will never forget the generosity of the donors who contribute to RMHC Bay Area, the volunteers who made the House a home, or the staff who stayed by our side throughout it all.`` — Jason, Brennan's Dad

P.S. We have more to share with you about Brennan’s and Jason’s medical journey. Keep an eye on our social media for more updates and sign up for our newsletter. 

Donors make these stories possible

Why your gift matters

38,421 overnight stays to help keep families close to their hospitalized children
168 students enrolled in Ronald McDonald House School (Carter Family Classroom)
5,073+ hours donated by volunteers helping to offset the cost of program operation, and offering care and love to families
7,749 gifts donated for Comfort & Joy from 250 holiday toy drive
104,387 free meals to help keep families close to help nourish families with ill or injured children
8,123 snack packs delivered to families at the hospital
Did you know? 56% of families report household food insecurity, according to 2023 RMHC local impact research study with Stanford Medicine.
$18,524,165 in housing, meal, and support services to families in medical crisis