"Of course you can take your bunny!"
Audrey Bunny is a small symbol of the compassion and love that caregivers provide to their children. Watch the video below and hear a story of compassion from the Ronald McDonald House’s visionary, Dr. Audrey Evans.
Dr. Audrey Evans was a bold pediatric oncologist, the visionary and co-founder of the very first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, and a lifelong advocate for children and families. Her belief that “a sick child is a sick family” led her to build a care model that centered on love, comfort, and connection.
Born in England in 1925, Dr. Evans always knew she wanted to be a doctor. She broke barriers throughout her career, becoming the first female Chief of Pediatric Oncology at CHOP in 1969.
Families remember her not just for her groundbreaking work, but for her joyful, unconventional ways: a hamster hidden in her lab coat, a birdcage on the hospital floor, a bunny to calm nerves before an MRI, and open, honest conversations about life and death.
She treated thousands of children—but to her, they were all “her children.” And her greatest legacy? Showing the world that caring is powerful, and it can change everything. Audrey’s impact has been captured in the feature film Audrey’s Children, which is now available to stream at home.
The Dr. Audrey E. Evans Center for Family Support Services at RMHC Philly was established to continue Dr. Evans’ vision of family-centered care, providing compassionate assistance to all families staying at the Ronald McDonald Houses in Philadelphia. Click here if you’d like to support this program in her honor.