Meet Carlo

Carlo Moore looks like your average 12-year old, but as the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover.  Beneath the surface of this charismatic and happy adolescent lies a complex and life-changing health issue that has impacted not just Carlo’s day-to-day, but that of his parents and sister Grace.  What started out as severe reflux disease at five-years old has become something much more complicated: gastroparesis.  This condition means his stomach doesn’t empty and he requires tube feeding overnight. 

While there is no cure for Carlo’s condition, he and his family live in hope that one day soon, things will change, allowing him to lead a life similar to that of his friends, away from hospitals, surgery and as he puts it, “away from his tubes”.   

Traveling interstate is not without its challenges and implications on work, the family dog and the new chicken coop, but for the Moore family they know that during each visit, they have a ‘home away from home’ and a support system to help them take one day at a time.   

As the family looks towards a healthy future for Carlo, they are also resolute in their commitment to raise awareness for Ronald McDonald House Charities Sydney as being a vital part of their journey: “All of the hospital visits and uncertainty takes a toll on the entire family, so knowing we have a place to stay, relax and feel supported is difficult to put into words – we are just so grateful to have this second home and second family”.     

Carlo’s mum Claire recently told us that Carlo loved the Home for Dinners at the House. Even though he could not eat the food, he loved helping the volunteering serving up the food to the other families. You never know he may one day become a chef himself!

A testament to the resilience of children, Carlo hasn’t let his condition and limitations slow him down.  He runs, he plays and when the Sydney Swans need a junior mascot, he’s always ready!   

David Bitton

David was born in Paris and began his chef’s apprenticeship at the age of fifteen. It was several years later while working at La Fontine in Switzerland that he met a group of Australians who convinced him it was the place to be. He applied for residency on the spot and arrived in Sydney Australia on Anzac Day in 1991 with a suitcase and $1000.

In 1996 David took up the Head Chef position at The Gekko restaurant at The Sheraton on the Park where he would become a recognised talent in Australia. It gave him the artistic freedom that he had so been yearning and was also where he met his future wife and business partner Sohani.

In 2000 both David and Sohani left their corporate careers behind them and opened a little 20 seater café in Alexandria. At the same time, in their household kitchen, a unique range of gourmet products was lovingly created inspired by David’s French training and Sohani’s South African Indian heritage.  Overnight success was met with demand for more products and so the range of ‘Bitton’ products was born.

Since then the Bitton brand has grown exponentially including three 100 seater restaurants, the product range distributed nationally and internationally and a food consultancy business. David has also written two books – a cookbook Bitton, A French-inspired Café Cookbook which sold an unprecedented 60,000 copies and his recently published Autobiography – Chopped and Served. David is a regular on the speaker circuit with a unique story, 20 years’ experience to draw on and a refreshing charm.

Despite the brand’s success, Bitton remains a family owned and run business with a focus to giving back to both the industry and communities that have supported him.  

Your Impact

It’s more than a place to sleep…

Your support will provide holistic support to families throughout their child’s recovery with illness or injury. We are there for families to keep them connected and focus on the child’s recovery through the House and our Family Rooms.

Your support will continue to support families in between and after hospital stays such as our Learning Program.

By supporting RMHC Sydney, you will:

• Ensure sick children experience an improved clinical journey as a result of physical and emotional proximity to the family. Our programs enable a family-centred approach to caring for sick children from the time they are in hospital to transitioning back to school and everyday life.
• Make sure parents and family members feel better connected and less stressed, improving their capacity to focus on supporting their child through treatment.
• Help hospitals experience a reduced mental load and save on resources. Our program has become a vital part of the hospital infrastructure. Hospital staff can discharge patients to a nearby location and are therefore able to serve more people. Hospital staff also experience reduced mental load and are better able to focus on clinical outcomes when families are well rested and less stressed.
• Ensure the education system avoids some of the costs associated with students who miss significant periods of school. Our Learning Program helps government and schools avoid the cost of students repeating school, and avoid the lifetime costs associated with students not completing school.
• RMHC Sydney has the trust and goodwill of the community, which are essential for sustainable operations. RMHC has been consistently rated as one of the most trusted charities in Australia.
• We are able to have volunteers and tutors able to assist in the delivery of our Programs. Their work primarily benefits families, but also provides the volunteers and tutors themselves with a sense of purpose and job satisfaction.