By Tanya Cronin

Kamloops family knows the importance of Ronald McDonald House

May 1, 2018 | 4:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — Canadians from coast-to-coast will pledge their support for the 25th annual McHappy Day on May 2, a one-day celebration that brings everyone together to raise money for Ronald McDonald House and children’s charities across the country. A Kamloops family knows the impact McHappy Day has on children in need. For months, the Harbaruk’s lived at the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver, while their daughter Lizzie was undergoing cancer treatment. 

Energy and joyous smiles, exactly what you would expect inside this Grade 4 class at St. Ann’s Academy. But for nine-year old Lizzie Harbaruk, the days haven’t always been filled with laughter alongside her classmates. 

“It was pretty gut wrenching to know within 24 hours we had to pack up and leave our boys behind and go down and start this journey that we had no idea what would happen,” says Jennifer Harbaruk, Lizzie’s Mom.

In 2010, at just 21 months old, Lizzie was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer. The day the devestating diagnosis was revealed, forever engrained in the Harbaruk family’s memory.

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“It was both her kidneys, that first time we went through the whole treatment cycle of 40 weeks and she lost one of her kidney’s, and so there was all that recovery in that whole process where we were at Children’s periodically every couple of months.”

While her daughter underwent treatment at BC Children’s Hospital, Jennifer and her family turned to the Ronald McDonald House for support. A place that made an agonizing time, a little more comfortable.

“It did give us that sense of relief, it’s like a home, there are other families there doing the same thing that you would’ve done at your house, cooking together, eating together, sleeping in an environment that isn’t the hospital and it was little bits like that, that made it more manageable.”

Without looking through memory albums, you wouldn’t know the hardships Lizzie has gone through. She finds the positive and has always smiled her way through, what has been a scary situation.

“It’s really fun, I get to see all the nurses, there’s a gift shop there and I like going there every once in a while, it’s just really fun being there because I get to see a lot of my friends and play,” says Lizzie Harbaruk.

“I know she was quite little, but she still remembers there was bunk beds in one of our rooms, she remembers climbing up the ladder, the slide in the middle of the house, the big huge Christmas tree they had set up one year,” says Jennifer Harbaruk.

Ronald McDonald House takes away added stress for families, so they can keep their attention on what matters most – caring for a sick child. Each year, the annual McHappy Day raises funds for the house. One dollar from every Big Mac, Happy Meal and McCafe beverage, helping children in need.

“It took you out of that medical environment and put you into a bit more of a comfort zone with people who are all going through the same thing, so magical really.” 

“I got to hang out a lot and watch movies, play with some animals, it was really fun, I’m feeling good,” says Lizzie.

After nine months of treatment , Lizzie was eventually cleared, only to relapse just before she turned five. Happy and healthy now, she’s been cancer-free for four years, and right where she should be – at school, with friends, being a kid.

“It makes me really happy not to have to stay at the hospital anymore, to get to hang out with my friends and get to see my brothers now,” says Lizzie.