Ronald McDonald petition organiser Jacqui Hellyer presented her petition to Southern District Health Board this morning.
Mrs Hellyer had printed off the online petition and its 12,377 signatures, presenting it to commissioner Kathy Grant.
She said she had used two Ronald McDonald houses with her daughter, who has a heart condition.
She had especially appreciated it at Starship Hospital, in Auckland, where hailing from ''Hick Dunedin'', she had not known anyone.
Mrs Hellyer said she could not remember seeing the ''stupid clown'' Ronald McDonald during any of her stays.
Plaques in the houses freely acknowledged the contribution of other sponsors as well as McDonalds.
Mrs Hellyer's petition was prompted by Public Health South's opposition to a Ronald McDonald House in the rebuilt hospital.
But her petition urged the SDHB to change its stance.
Public Health South is part of the DHB, but does not determine its decision-making.
Mrs Grant thanked Mrs Hellyer for her presentation, pointing out that SDHB had not taken a stance on the matter.
The board was consulting its clinical and community health councils on the need for dedicated family/whanau space in the new hospital.
