McDonald's Batemans Bay owners Jim Johns and Rachel Sweeney-Johns were brought to tears last week when they received the news that the Canadian Board of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) had voted unanimously for the construction of their first family retreat in Bear Mountain, Vancouver.

It is an incredible step for an initiative that began only a decade ago, when Mr Johns was approached by Bay businessman Des Phillips, who had cancer and wanted to build a house to support others with cancer.

It was an idea Ms Sweeney-Johns had already raised with McDonald's without success, but with the backing of local businesses, charities and RMHC, money was raised and land purchased in bush above a private beach in Rosedale. It was again through the generosity of the business community and RMHC that the house was built.

Another family, touched by cancer after losing their daughter, attended the launch. They had sold their own home to buy a holiday house for ill children's families in Victoria. That property soon became the second RMHC holiday retreat.

There are now four retreats in Australia, allowing hundreds of families a special getaway when they can least afford it. Every year, 104 families have that opportunity at Fiona Lodge alone, with free passes for meals, cruises and zoo trips given to each group.

Mr Phillips did not live to see Fiona Lodge come to fruition, but Mr Johns said the Canadian retreat was exactly what he planned.

"It fulfils Des's dream, he really wanted to go international," he said.