Taking place this Saturday 14 March, the Match For Good will see the Phoenix wear a bespoke match-day jersey designed by children and siblings staying at Ronald McDonald Houses across New Zealand. Their drawings – butterflies, hearts and personal designs – have been incorporated into the kit, placing their stories quite literally at the heart of the game.

This year’s match forms part of a special Phoenix double-header, with both teams wearing the bespoke kits as the club rallies support for RMHC and the families it supports.

Last year’s Match for Good raised vital funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides accommodation and wraparound support for families with children receiving hospital treatment. This year builds on that impact by directly involving the children and siblings themselves in designing the jersey worn on the pitch.

As part of the initiative, McDonald’s New Zealand will also match every donation made to RMHC via restaurant kiosks and Drive-Thru from 9–15 March, helping amplify the impact of the match even further.

The Family:

For families like the Slaughters, the Macca’s Match for Good represents far more than a game. 

Early last year, Jordan and Ashleigh Slaughter’s lives were turned upside down when their baby daughter Layla was diagnosed with aggressive infant leukemia at just four months old. Within hours of diagnosis, Layla was airlifted from Wellington to Christchurch to begin urgent treatment. 

Over the following months, Layla endured intensive chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, severe infections and lengthy stays in ICU across Christchurch and Auckland. Throughout that time, Ronald McDonald House became the family’s anchor – providing a place to stay close to hospital, space for Layla’s big sister Bailey to feel safe and supported, and moments of normality during unimaginable stress. 

“Ronald McDonald House became our second home,” says Ashleigh. “Having somewhere close to hospital, meals provided, and a space where Bailey could play lifted an enormous burden. When everything else felt out of control, that support meant everything.” 

Today, the Slaughter family is back home in Wellington – together. While Layla won’t remember her time at Ronald McDonald House, it will always remain part of her story. 

A “thank you” to Katharine Broughton from Omnicom for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

11/03/26