Finding out your nine-year-old has bone cancer is stressful news at the best of times.
But when you live nine hours from the closest available treatment the emotional stress is accompanied by an undeniable financial burden.
It's a burden the Ilic family from Hay in NSW's Riverina region says it was able to bear thanks to Ronald McDonald House (RMHC).
Dylan Ilic, nine, and his older sister Courtney first came to Ronald McDonald House in February when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma.
The siblings are just two of the thousands of seriously ill children who pass through the doors of the charity accommodation every year.
"When Dylan first found out he was unwell he didn't quite understand what was happening," grandmother Marina Ilic explained to AAP.
"With so much to worry about RMHC has alleviated a lot of the stress. Without the help we have received, I'm not too sure what we would have done."
Ms Ilic spoke of her gratitude ahead of the charity's annual McHappy Day celebrations scheduled for this Saturday.
An overnight stay in one of the 16 RMHC houses in Australia costs about $132, with this year's fundraising target of $4.1 million capable of providing at least 31,000 nights of accommodation for families.
Two dollars from every Big Mac sold on October 14 goes towards this goal.
Ahead of the fundraiser six children, including Dylan and Courtney, have had the chance to design the packaging of the Big Macs, with video messages attached bringing the public face-to-face with their stories.
For Dylan and his family, that story is one that has them accepting regular hospital appointments as a part of their everyday lives.
"From the very beginning of Dylan's diagnosis, we told him 'you will not be the only child in the world to go through something like this' since then he has begun accepting it a lot more," Ms Ilic told AAP.
"Since we have been at RMHC, Dylan has been doing really well ... he is quickly turning into a mature little boy and spending time with the other children and families has really helped grow his understanding."
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