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McHappy Day helps spread smiles locally

Ruby Davidson is thankful for the community of people at Ronald McDonald House
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Ruby Davidson, 17, chats with her Mom at the McDonald’s on Island Highway in Colwood for McHappy Day. Davidson has stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver while getting chemotherapy treatment at Children’s Hospital. (Lindsey Horsting/News Gazette staff)

It has been 216 days since Ruby Davidson was diagnosed with cancer.

Her mom, Terri, has been keeping track of it on her smartphone. It’s not a happy tracker by any stretch, but the duo are too positive to let it get them down.

Davidson, 17, was diagnosed with bone cancer after she broke her left arm and needed an X-ray. Doctors found the tumour and removed it through surgery. They also replaced the bone from Davidson’s shoulder to her elbow.

She started her first day of chemotherapy treatment on Nov. 2 and stayed at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver for six weeks. Since mid-December she has been on a schedule of two weeks at home in the West Shore and then three weeks in Vancouver for treatment. When she is in Vancouver she stays at the Ronald McDonald House.

On Wednesday, community members gathered at various McDonald’s locations across the country, including on the West Shore, to help serve patrons as part of the annual McHappy Day. Proceeds from the day’s sales go towards Ronald McDonald House. Owners at eight other McDonald’s in Greater Victoria will also donate some of the proceeds to Jeneece Place at Victoria General Hospital.

Davidson, a former Royal Bay student, said many of her friends she had before she was diagnosed with cancer have stopped talking to her, which is difficult, but Ronald McDonald House has been a light during her journey.

“I’ve made so many friends through this entire thing,” Davidson said. “I’ve met so many great people by staying at the house alone and the staff is incredible.”

Terri said they will bump into families they have met through Ronald McDonald House while getting routine check-ups in Victoria, and while they didn’t meet under the best circumstances, they have met wonderful people they wouldn’t have otherwise met.

Terri said her coworkers and family have been very supportive since Davidson’s diagnosis, but they have been spending a lot of time at the hospital getting treatment so it’s nice to have a support system at Ronald McDonald House too.

“We need places like Ronald McDonald House and the community that comes together with them” Terri said. “We are so thankful for programs like this.”


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lindsey.horsting@goldstreamgazette.com