When people hear the dreaded news that they have cancer, a million thoughts run through their minds. What does this mean? Am I going to die? What will happen to my family? What treatment options are available? Where can I get the best medical care possible? How will I pay for it?
For many cancer fighters, these last two questions pose a major concern: If they live outside a large metropolitan city, the best treatment centers may require long car trips or even plane flights. While some insurance covers such trips and housing, not everyone is covered for a hotel for the weeks or months that treatment requires.
Enter Hope Lodge, a cost-free home away from home for out-of-town cancer patients undergoing outpatient treatment. Key word: Free!
An initiative of the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge in Atlanta has, for nine years, offered lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers who reside at least 40 miles from their treatment facility. Open since 1998, it features 34 two-person rooms, offers transportation to and from treatments, and provides several meals each week.
The concept has been around since 1970 when the Charleston Hope Lodge opened. There are now 21 Hope Lodges in the United States, including one in Puerto Rico.
The Winn-Dixie Hope Lodge here will undergo an expansion, adding 13 additional suites, an additional kitchen and common areas and an upgrade of carpeting and furnishings.
There are no financial requirements, but guests must be ambulatory and have an active cancer diagnosis. Reservations are confirmed on a first-come, first-serve basis, but often, there is a 2-3 week waiting list. However, once checked in, guests can stay for as long as they are actively receiving treatment.
"It is truly a place of hope," said Erica Price, manager of the Atlanta Hope Lodge. "When the ACS says no one should have to fight cancer alone, this is the answer to that."
Price described Hope Lodge as a place where cancer patients can be comfortable. They can take off their wigs and use the bathroom every six minutes, and no one will look at them strangely.
"It’s like a family — they understand each other," she said. "And once they’re here, they’re pleasantly surprised with the relationships they form."
Volunteers and staff members organize programs for guests, from support groups, to nutrition classes, to game nights, bingo, line dancing, yoga and more. Every Wednesday, the guests gather together to celebrate life with a graduation ceremony for those who have finished their treatment.
"It’s not a place of despair," Price said. "It’s a place of renewed spirit."
To refer a cancer patient to a Hope Lodge, visit a Patient Resource Navigation Center or call 1-800-ACS-2345.
