American Cancer Society Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge-Houston
Dear Friends of Hope Lodge,
When I sat down to write this letter, I kept circling back to the idea of “looking forward.” This came to mind quickly, because when summer arrives there is so much to look forward to. But as I reflected on the idea, I realized that at our Hope Lodge community there is a “looking forward to” that goes far beyond the activities of summer.
As we welcome Hope Lodge guests every day and get to know them better, we share one singular hope with each of them: looking forward to the days after treatment or looking forward to life after cancer. We all know that feeling. It is the deep roots of hope.
This “looking forward to” is what the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program is all about, and you are an important part of that. The hours donated by dedicated volunteers, the delicious meals dropped off by community members, supplies ordered and sent from our Amazon wish list, and, of course, the generosity of our donors all keep our facility running. But, more importantly it makes the “looking forward to” a reality for so many!
As you read this newsletter, keep that feeling in mind. The cancer journey is difficult and daunting, but we want every day filled with the promise of what is possible after cancer. That’s what drives us. That’s why our home away from home for people with cancer and their caregivers is called Hope Lodge.
As you turn your calendar to the sun-filled months of summer, we hope you are looking forward to vacations, outings, and festivities with family, friends, and loved ones. Thank you for being part of our Hope Lodge family. Please read on to see the latest news! If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to hearing from you.
With gratitude,
Tonya Wagner, Senior Manager Hope Lodge
Hope Lodge Stay Made All the Difference for Couple
I can’t even explain what a gift the Hope Lodge community was. It had everything that we needed, like a home away from home, in a situation where we were fighting for my life.
Tamara and Roy Kirkpatrick traveled over 500 miles from Springdale, Arkansas, to Houston so she could receive CAR-T cell therapy treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Tamara’s cancer journey began in 2017, when she was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma. She beat the odds and was in remission until it came back with a vengeance in 2021. She and Roy stayed at the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge facility for a month while recovering from treatment.
Tamara enjoyed meals outside in the healing garden, praying in the meditation room, and walking around the Hope Lodge campus for exercise. And Roy was able to work remotely from the Hope Lodge library while she rested. “I really, really enjoyed it,” Tamara added. “We loved every minute of it. It made all the difference. I don’t know where we would have stayed. Once we found out about the Hope Lodge program, that stress level diminished, and that’s a huge part of healing. You can’t heal if you’re stressed, so it made a big difference.”
Tamara was very excited to be the first guest to ring the Hope Bell at the recently opened Houston facility. “It was an honor,” she said. “One of the things I want to do is give people hope. When I’d hear that bell ring at the cancer center, I would think, ‘One day, I’ll ring that bell!’ It’s the sound of hope and encouragement. If you hear of someone else surviving cancer, you think maybe I can, too.”
Tamara and Roy left the Houston Hope Lodge community on January 13, 2022, to reunite with their five sons back home in Arkansas. We’re happy to report she left cancer free!
A Letter That Says It All from Room 102
A recent letter from two guests, Mike and Karen, who stayed at a Hope Lodge facility for 46 nights during Mike’s radiation treatment, expressed their gratitude for this unique home away from home. Their stay at the Hope Lodge community also saved them more than $7,000 in hotel costs. Before learning about the American Cancer Society program, the couple paid more than $160 per night for several weeks at a hotel so they could access the lifesaving cancer care Mike needed. As you’ll read, it’s not just financial support, but also the comfort, kindness, and HOPE provided through the true power of the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge program that helped them on their cancer journey.
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