At this year’s Annual Fall Celebration, RMHC New York Metro honored the life and work of Regina Calcaterra. The event was hosted at Watermill Caterers in Smithtown on November 13, 2024. Regina Calcaterra’s memoir Etched in Sand, A True Story of Five Siblings Who Survived an Unspeakable Childhood on Long Island (HarperCollins Publishing, 2013) is a #1 international best-seller and a New York Times best-seller.
“We are so fortunate to have Regina as our honoree—her life’s work is about opening doors for children and families who are less fortunate,” says Matt Campo, CEO of RMHC New York Metro. “The children and families at RMHC New York Metro depend on heartfelt donations from our community so they can be together as they battle a critical illness or injury. We are so grateful to our community of supporters for their generosity today and always.”
In its seventh year, the Fall Celebration, hosted by the Stony Brook Advisory Council, raises essential funds that directly impact the sick children and families at RMHC. RMHC New York Metro’s programs span Long Island with the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park and two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital—one located in Pediatrics and one in the NICU.
A showcase of strength and resilience
In attendance was the Waller Family from Nesconset on Long Island. In the summer, Hannah Waller experienced strange symptoms that led her family to take her to Stony Brook Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumor. At just fifteen years old, Hannah had to undergo the harrowing journey of cancer treatment and surgery. For months, the Waller family benefitted from the comfort and care of Ronald McDonald Family Rooms at Stony Brook Children’s so they could stay close to Hannah.
Expanding to meet the needs of more families
In 2024, RMHC New York Metro held a ceremonial groundbreaking to celebrate the start of construction on a new Ronald McDonald House in Stony Brook. This new House will provide families with 30 private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, an outdoor playground, playrooms, a fitness center and more. The organization is still actively raising funds to support the project with plans to open in early 2027.
The Ronald McDonald House in Suffolk County will be the second House on Long Island and the first in Suffolk County. There are over 390 Ronald McDonald House programs across the globe, each serving families dealing with a pediatric medical crisis.
Creating communities of support
We are so grateful to our passionate community of supporters! To get involved or to attend an upcoming event, please click here.