Each year, thousands of children are treated in Houston for serious illnesses. Often, they travel long distances for treatment and for their families, anxiety over the child's illness is compounded by lengthy hospital stays, months of outpatient treatment, and the expense of being away from home. Whole families may spend their days and nights in hospital lounges or hotels, removed from relatives and friends.

From the time that the Ronald McDonald House of Houston opened its doors in 1981, the mission has been to offer a home away from home to the families of these children while they undergo treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses at a Texas Medical Center institution. The Holcombe House (1907 Holcombe Boulevard) provides a 50-bedroom home away from home located in the Texas Medical Center. The three story brick atrium building includes an eight station kitchen, special needs kitchen, dining room, playrooms, laundry room, outside play area, and even a one room school. In an average year, over 16,000 nights of lodging are provided to about 700 different families who have traveled to Houston from throughout the U.S. and the world seeking a cure for their children's diseases.