Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending the opening of Switzerland’s 7th Ronald McDonald House. It’s located in Zurich, right next to the Children’s Hospital and the Lengg Clinic, with Balgrist and Hirslanden in the immediate vicinity.
A little over a year and a half ago, we were still standing ankle-deep in mud at this very spot. Last night, lights were on in 20 rooms. The smell of food wafted from the kitchen as those involved walked through the finished rooms.
Behind all of this lies the hard work of so many people. Behind every building component is someone who created it with diligence and skill.
What has come of it goes far beyond a mere building. Here, parents sleep whose child is in the intensive care unit just a few hundred meters away. They can stay close by during the most difficult time of their lives. That is the true purpose of these past one and a half years.
A beautiful moment on opening night: Lara Gut-Behrami and Maria Walliser, the two godmothers of Ronald McDonald House Switzerland, surrounded by those involved in the project. Those who are so committed to this place make it clear what it’s all about.
I’m proud to have been a part of this as a construction manager. Thank you to the Swiss Epilepsy Foundation, Zurich Children’s Hospital – Eleonoren Foundation , and Ronald McDonald House Switzerland as well as BAUSTUDIO, KLP Architecture and to all the tradespeople working on this construction site.
