Country health leadership team swaps the boardroom for the kitchen

Members of our Executive team recently swapped business attire and laptops for aprons and kitchen utensils to participate in the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) ‘Home for Dinner’ program.

For parents and carers looking after ill or injured children, preparing a home-cooked meal after a day filled with medical appointments can be challenging – that’s where the ‘Home for Dinner’ project comes in.

Every year the program provides 50,000 home-cooked meals to WA families who are staying at RMHC sites. 

Our Executive team spent the afternoon cooking up a storm, before serving their lovingly made dinner. They also had an opportunity to sit down to their own meal and have a chat to the families.

We know what you are thinking, and the answer is yes – they even did the dishes.

WA Country Health Service Executive Director Mental Health and Aboriginal Health Strategy Paula Chatfield said it was a privilege to cook for families who were often going through a very stressful time.

“Parents want the best for their children, but after a long day, cooking is going to be the last thing on their mind,” Paula said.

“By participating in the program, we can provide a genuine and tangible difference.

“It means that families don’t miss out on time together at the dinner table, and healthy foods, which is one of the cornerstones of health and wellbeing.

“It’s important that we know the struggles and challenges of the communities we serve as it reminds us of why all of us do the work we do in health services. It also was an opportunity to connect as an Executive team in amongst our busy work lives.”

Learn more about RMHC and the ‘Home for Dinner’ program.