Canada's first Ronald McDonald Care Mobile™ launches in Calgary, Alberta

-- Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta extends its support to families right in their communities to enable families access to the medical care they need --

CALGARY, AB, June 12, 2012 /CNW/ - Today Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada, Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and Mosaic Primary Care Network are excited to announce a new community health program - The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. This new program brings medical care right to the community to serve families in East Calgary where language and social circumstances can be barriers to accessing health care.

Today, His Worship, Mayor Naheed Nenshi will be on hand to unveil this exciting new community partnership and health care program in East Calgary, kicking off program delivery with families being served this afternoon.

Complementing health care delivery in Calgary, this unique new program combines the family support and caring of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta, with the medical expertise and services of Mosaic Primary Care Network, to provide families with free and easily accessible health care right in their local communities.

The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a 12 meter long, 2 meter wide vehicle that includes; two patient examination rooms, a medical supplies storage area and reception area.

"We are excited to partner with Ronald McDonald House in this new initiative" says Jason Shenher, Executive Director of the Mosaic Primary Care Network. "We believe that taking the services to the people will remove a lot of barriers and ultimately improve the population's health".

This state-of-the-art vehicle will deliver free medical, dental and health education services directly to underserved families in their own communities. Uniquely, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is designed and built specifically as a family healthcare vehicle. Through the medical services of Mosaic Primary Care Network, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will deploy programs with screening and diagnosis, plus educational and preventative services tailored to the specific needs of the local community. It has taken a committed village of caring people and companies to bring this mobile health service to life and we are very grateful to our founding and everlasting partners at McDonald's® Restaurants of Canada, as well as our newest partner Cenovus Energy. Cenovus announced a $1 million donation in October 2011 to the three Ronald McDonald Houses in Alberta, with a large portion of that supporting the Care Mobile.

"We're very pleased to support such a worthwhile and exciting community health initiative," said Brian Ferguson, Cenovus President & Chief Executive Officer. "The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will contribute greatly to the health and well-being of children and families, one of the main focus areas for Cenovus' community investment program."

Health services provided by Mosaic Primary Care Network in the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile will focus on primary care including prevention and education, screening and diagnosis, including;

• Nutritional Counseling
• Oral Health and Screening
• Pre-natal Care and Education
• Childhood Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Education
• Immunizations
• Specimen Collection

East Calgary has been initially selected as the community of greatest need for this mobile health service. Currently, 50% of the population of East Calgary is not attached to a family physician. With plans to operate 8 hours a day, 312 days of the year, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile anticipates serving more than 7,000 patients in its first year alone.

"The Calgary community is like family to all of us at Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta and we are so pleased to be able to show our support back to the community through this wonderful new program" says Larry Mathieson, Executive Director, Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta.  "While Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta will continue be a home away from for the families of sick children being treated at a nearby hospital, our new Ronald McDonald Care Mobile allows us to extend our support right into our local communities and together with our health care partners at Mosaic, help more children and families in their time of need."

Thanks to Ronald McDonald House Charities, Canada's first Ronald McDonald Care Mobile joins a network of 45 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles in eight countries. Each one is custom built to meet the specific health care needs of the communities it serves.

About Ronald McDonald House® Southern Alberta
Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta is a compassionate, safe and affordable home away from home for out-of-town families whose children are receiving treatment in a local Calgary hospital. The purpose of Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta is to keep families together and provide a supportive environment while the family member is being treated for their illness. To learn more visit www.rmhsouthernalberta.org.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) Canada
In 1982 Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada was founded to be the everlasting organization that would support Ronald McDonald Houses and their programs in Canada. Ronald McDonald Houses provide a home away from home for out of town families with sick children being treated at a nearby hospital. Today, 13 Ronald McDonald Houses serve more than 10,000 families each year. By 2014 that support will grow to serving over 20,000 families in 14 Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada. Completing our circle of support for Canadians is the Ronald McDonald Family Room® program providing an oasis of calm and support right inside the walls of the Hospital - today there are 6 Family Rooms across Canada and the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile™ program. To learn more visit www.rmhc.ca.

About Mosaic
Mosaic Primary Care Network is a group of family physicians in partnership with Alberta Health Services to provide health care, through a multidisciplinary team, to northeast and southeast Calgary.

Image with caption: "Canada's first Ronald McDonald Care Mobile launches in Calgary, Alberta, enabling access to medical care for families in east Calgary. (CNW Group/Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120612_C8089_PHOTO_EN_15051.jpg

Claire Griffin, Ronald McDonald House Southern Alberta [email protected] / 403-700-3008
Devon Friedman, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada [email protected] / 416-446-3809