Mac the therapy dog retires from Ronald McDonald House
Updated: 2 hours ago
Mac, Chief Cheer Officer House and Therapy Dog at the Ronald McDonald House Central Indiana, has been sent off to play.
Mac was donated to the House in 2016 by Ultimate Canine. Since first padding through the House in Indianapolis, he’s spread nothing but goodwill to House residents, staff and visitors. He’s also helped raise thousands of dollars for House operations over the years as lunch and visits with him were popular auction items at House fundraisers.
This labradoodle had a job to do every day at the facility for kids with medical issues, since he's the “Chief of Cheer”! Steve Sweitzer presented this story in 2017:
The easy-going labradoodle recently had surgery to remove a mass from his liver.He’ll be enjoying his senior years with his sibling, Paisley.
In 2025, the Central Indiana chapter served 6,398 families, who collectively overnighted at the House 16,363 times. Those families live an average of 128 miles from the hospital, and each stayed an average of 42.5 nights at the House. The chapter estimates their services save Indiana families more than $3.4 million each year in lodging, meals, and more.
In the past three years, three families from Miami County have stayed a collective 146 nights at the House in Indianapolis.
The Ronald McDonald House Central Indiana also:
Hosted 36,306 total visits to its two Family Rooms located inside Riley Children’s Health, which provides free meals, coffee, and other services for any family with hospitalized children,
Served 70,422 meals at the Family Room and the House,
Served 1,389 adults and children via the House Comfort Cart at Terre Haute’s Union Hospital, and
Provided 1,152 Lyft rides to help families meet needs while staying at the House.
Article courtesy of Ronald McDonald House
Comments