A holiday wish list for families undergoing cancer treatment
When Christmas arrives this year, Van Jackson and his wife, Betty, won’t be sitting down to a holiday meal with their family in Troy, Ohio. Instead, they will be spending the holiday season at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Atlanta. Jackson is being treated for prostate cancer at RC Cancer Centers, and his seven weeks of treatment must continue uninterrupted through the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The Jacksons will be joining about 20 other cancer patients and their caregivers at Hope Lodge, all of whom are in the midst of treatment that can’t take a break for the holidays.
The American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodges provide homes away from home for cancer patients, along with their caregivers, free of charge. The Lodges offer cheery public spaces where patients can enjoy the company of other patients and provide and receive support; private areas for patients to reflect and read; large kitchens and communal dining rooms; and transportation assistance to and from treatment. Nationwide, ACS has 30 Lodges, which serve tens of thousands of patients a year. The Society’s Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge in Atlanta opened its doors in 1988 and has served more than 5,000 patients and their caregivers since then. Located on the campus of Emory University, the Atlanta Lodge is the largest of the ACS Hope Lodges with 52 guest suites, including 18 new suites opened last year.
Without the free housing offered by Hope Lodges, many patients say they would not be able to receive regular cancer treatment due to the cost of transportation and staying in a hotel for the average six- or seven-week treatment regimen. Last year alone, Hope Lodge in Atlanta saved patients $2.2 million in costs. Patients are referred to Hope Lodge by the Society’s national call center, our patient resource navigators at hospitals, and by physicians and social workers at the medical facilities where patients are diagnosed and treated. Adult patients must live at least 50 miles away from their treatment facility and be in active cancer treatment to qualify to stay at Hope Lodge. Because of the demand, there is often a waiting list at Hope Lodge, and guests are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis as suites become available.
People in metro Atlanta play an important role in helping the American Cancer Society provide essential services and support to Hope Lodge patients. We need more volunteers to serve meals to our Hope Lodge guests throughout the year, not just during the holidays. Volunteers are also needed to take on administrative tasks, such as covering a shift at the front desk, answering phones, handling mailing projects, preparing welcome packages and coordinating programs for guests. Financial donations and corporate support are always welcome to help operate Hope Lodges.
Our wish list of in-kind donations includes items like white bath towels, cloths and mats; 13-inch color televisions for the suites; pots and pans for the kitchen; stamps and ink cartridges for the business center; movie passes and tickets to sporting events for patients able to leave the Lodge for entertainment; and more.
Erica Price is the manager of the American Cancer Society’s Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge in Atlanta.
