A Wallaceburg man is planning his own fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House in London.
Rick Bernard stayed at the home nine years ago, after his twin boys were born six weeks early.
Now he plans to cycle for nine hours through southwestern Ontario, as a way to say thank you.
“To think that nine years ago I didn't know that they would be with me to do the ride and now that they are to have them behind me is a great feeling," says Bernard.
Bernard was faced with the unknown when his boys were born.
“We were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house to be close to them," says Bernard.
Joe and Max were in the hospital for eight weeks.
Joe a diaphramtic hernia - a birth defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the diaphragm.
Bernard says it's a difficult memory.
“He could not breathe properly on his own, and then at three days old they had to have the repair surgery to fix the tear in the diaphragm and put the organs back where they needed to be and what not."
But one that Bernard's family got through, thanks in part to Ronald McDonald House.
“You have your accommodations that are as good if not better than a hotel and the best thing about it is you're a 30 second walk from the hospital to see your loved ones," says Bernard.
As a thank you, Bernard is raising money with his bike trip this August.
“I've set a goal of $5,000,” he says. “Whatever I raise is great and 100 per cent of the proceeds are going to go to the house."
His family will ride behind him.
“I think it's a good idea and I think it would be fun to ride my bike all the way to London with my dad," says Joe Bernard.
