Restoring Hope Transplant House is one of the projects that NCW Donate Life Fund proudly supports. Located near UW-Hospitals & Clinics, the home will provide a haven for transplant patients and their caregivers who reside away from the Madison metro area - people from the Wausau Metro area, north as far as the UP of Michigan, west to Eau Claire and east to Green Bay. It is a place for all those who need a caring and supportive environment during the transplant process.
Restoring Hope Transplant House
www.restoringhope.org
Restoring Hope Transplant House will be a “home away from home” for patients who are in the Madison area for organ, bone marrow or other transplants. A transplant house is not a medical facility. It is a caring environment that offers high quality, affordable accommodations for patients and their adult family members/caregivers. In addition to physical housing, the House offers hospitality, compassion and hope to support the healing journey for the patient and family. The support is provided by a small core staff, many volunteers and through interaction between other families facing the same challenges.
Restoring Hope Transplant House will be designed to offer both private and community space. The facilities will foster and support independence by providing shared kitchen and laundry facilities. Each guest will have a private room but may share a number of common areas where they can interact with the other guests.
The current house has 10 bedrooms with community bathrooms, and much of the rest of the house is in disrepair. Renovation plans provide 16 bedrooms - each with their own bath, a completely remodeled kitchen, and expanded community areas. View online blueprints and building plans.
The House will be designed to serve adult patients and caregivers only. While we would like to be able to accommodate whole families, infection risk is a concern while patients are healing. As a precaution we will not be able to accommodate family members under age 17.
The Transplant House is currently not open to patients or their caregivers. Additional funding is still needed to cover the necessary renovations before the doors can be opened to guests.
Help us raise the necessary funds to get the remodeling phase of this project started!
Letter from the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
Does your heart overflow with gratitude? Despite difficult economic times, I am encouraged by those that even in hard times focus on helping others. We are building and raising a house as a community. We are never meant to do this type of work alone, so I'm very thankful for your continued support.
Restoring Hope Transplant House has seen others give in ways that are remarkable. We have seen the gifting of $25,000 from Culvers, $10,000 from the Middleton Lions, $6,000 from Modern Woodmen of America, $5,000 from The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin Donate Life Fund. Along with generous gifts from Robert Kubiak Family-St Paul, Optimist Club of Cross Plains and other checks collected by Pat Carlsen from Evansville Businesses.
Herb and Susan Heneman recently donated $50,000 for naming rights for a family room after Herb was awarded the Michael J Losey Award for lifetime achievement for his professional work. Herb is a liver transplant recipient in 1991.
We're extremely grateful for these contributions to help get the doors open to Restoring Hope, but what is clearer to me, is that these donors understand families in need. Families that during a difficult time, can have the stability of home to heal and come together in community.
UW Hospital and Clinics with expertise in both sides of transplant, whether for cancer treatment or solid organ transplant have been such amazing teachers for us. When we ask, "What is it you want this home to be?" Create a home that is safe, an oasis, a place for them to let down and be themselves. Give them encouragement. Let them share with each other.
How heartwarming it is then, when others give so generously that this kind of "HOME" can be realized.
Gratefully, Cindy Herbst
Helpful Links
http://www.transplantawareness.org/
http://www.optn.org/organDatasource/
http://www.trioweb.org
http://www.johnbrockingtonfoundation.org
http://www.wisconsindonor.org/
http://www.uwhealth.org/transplant/patientstories/10600