House President inaugurates Ronald McDonald House Cyprus

House president Annita Demetriou on Monday inaugurated Cyprus’ first Ronald McDonald House, which will be in the Ayios Demetrios area of Strovolos, Nicosia.

The American non-profit will be located across from Makarios children’s hospital, and the event was attended by Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela, Director of the Health Ministry Christina Yiannaki, and other political party representatives.

Demetriou referred to her recent experience at the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Berlin, where she met with the children and their families.

“Tonight’s event is the culmination of an effort that began about two years ago,” she said during her speech.

She added that the goal of the home is to host families of children from all over Cyprus, who are hospitalised both at the Archbishop Makarios Hospital as well as in other medical facilities in the capital.

Demetriou said that Ronald McDonald House Charities has been operating abroad since 1974, and the opening of the first hospice in Cyprus, comes to support the families of sick children in difficult times.

She added that she was pleased to be among, “people with an excellent character, who, with a strong sense of social responsibility towards their fellow man, demonstrated kindness, humanity, solidarity and empathy.”.

She thanked the board members of Ronald McDonald House Charities and all the staff working there as well.