When a child is seriously ill, everything changes. Routines disappear, priorities shift, and for families who live hours from the hospital their child needs, even finding a place to sleep becomes a challenge. The Ronald McDonald House exists to take that particular burden off the table, offering families a comfortable place to stay close to their child’s care. And in Ottawa, La-Z-Boy has been part of making that possible for over 17 years.
Ronald McDonald House Ottawa first opened its doors in 1984 and has long served as a home away from home for families navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Following a significant expansion, the Ottawa location can now accommodate up to 36 families at a time, nearly double its previous capacity. With that growth came a renewed opportunity to make the space feel genuinely warm and welcoming rather than institutional.
That’s where La-Z-Boy Ottawa, Gatineau and Kingston came in. Cecile Panet-Raymond, sales manager and La-Z-Boy designer for the project, approached the furnishing process with the entire family in mind. Not just the parents carrying the weight of a difficult diagnosis, but the siblings, the children receiving treatment, and everyone in between. The goal was to create spaces where a family could truly exhale: somewhere to recline, to curl up together, to sprawl out with a book or a video game, and to feel, even briefly, like themselves again.
The result is a home filled with furniture chosen specifically for how people actually live during hard times. Reclining pieces offer rest for exhausted parents. Modular sectionals create space for families to gather. Accent chairs tuck into quieter
corners for moments of calm. Every selection was made with an understanding of what these families genuinely needed, and it shows.
The impact is real. Tanya and her son Seth, who was being treated for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at The Ottawa Hospital, stayed at Ronald McDonald House Ottawa for two months during his treatment. Driving from Beachburg, a two-hour trip each way, simply wasn’t sustainable. The house gave them somewhere to land. Seth found his rhythm in the gaming room, playing ping-pong with his mom and connecting with friends back home. Tanya found comfort in knowing they had a space that felt safe and settled. As she put it, the house gave them a sense of security that didn’t feel like a hospital.
That distinction matters more than it might seem. Comfort in a difficult moment isn’t a luxury. It’s part of how people find the strength to keep going. For La-Z-Boy, contributing to that in a meaningful and lasting way is something the team clearly takes seriously.
If you’d like to support Ronald McDonald House Ottawa and the families it serves, visit the Ronald McDonald House Ottawa website to learn more or make a donation. And if you’re looking to bring that same sense of comfort and warmth into your own home, visit La-Z-Boy Ottawa, Gatineau and Kingston or book an appointment online and the team would love to help.