Summer 2012

Hope Lodge NewsAstraZeneca Hope Lodge

A home away from home for families facing cancerBoston, Massachusetts

cancer.org/hopelodgeboston

Take me out to the ball game

John Chamberlin traveled from Akron, New York, for bone cancer treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital. A highlight of his six-week stay at the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston

was the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at the Boston Red Sox game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, June 25.

Stacking them up

A trip to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park or a performance of the Boston Pops can dent any family’s budget. So it’s not surpris-ing that this kind of outing is rare for a family managing a cancer diagnosis, treatment far from home, and insurance copays. But guests at the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston have found themselves enjoying these activities, as well as football games at Boston College and Boston Celtics games at TD Bank Garden thanks to generous donors. The tickets may be for luxury box seats and occasionally include VIP amenities.

Tickets usually come from corporate donors and individual season ticket holders who aren’t able to use their tickets. “I can’t go to all 81 Red Sox games at Fenway,” said donor Peter Aldrich. A cancer survivor himself, he said, “It’s hard not to see myself in the position of these families. I know what they are going through. We give because there is so much waiting when you’re in treatment. We can offer them a little fun during a very tough time.”

Lodge guests echo that sentiment. “Attending a baseball game or a concert gives us a relaxing moment of ‘normal’ in an other-wise intense and stressful situation,” said one guest. “It feels good to just be part of the crowd.”

Another donor, who prefers to remain anonymous, explained, “We are thrilled to be able to be a part of the Hope Lodge. It is an honor for us to provide a respite from the thoughts that accom-pany cancer and its treatment. It’s so exciting that some families have actually been from the town that the Red Sox are playing. Everyone dealing with the ups and downs of treatment, as well as occasionally being far from home and loved ones, can use a Fen-way Frank, and the Zen- like experience of baseball and the fans.”

Lodge Director Bryan Harter agreed, noting, “We’ve had some really amazing opportunities at Fenway Park this year. Last month one of our major corporate donors offered us the op-portunity to have a guest throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game. And in May another donor provided us with a substantial number of tickets, making it possible for anyone who was stay-ing at the Lodge to attend a game if they wanted. Red Sox tickets generate a great deal of excitement. Even out-of-state guests can appreciate the chance to visit historic Fenway Park and take in a sold-out Red Sox game. ”

Beyond the Red Sox, Lodge guests have been offered tickets to other exciting events this summer. A group of Lodge guests attended the Boston Pops dress rehearsal for the nationally televised July Fourth performance, enjoying premier seating and a beautiful concert under clear skies. In addition to the Boston Pops, the show featured performances by the Dropkick Murphys, Jennifer Hudson, and the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters.

This fall, football fans will have the opportunity to attend a game at Boston College, with perks such as priority parking, a pre-game barbecue, and field passes for pre-game introductions.

Calendar BoxMeet local artists

Jamaica Plain Open Studios, September 22/23,AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston

For details, contact Susan Stumpf at 508.270.4885 orsusan.stumpf@cancer.org.

Walk with usMaking Strides Against Breast Cancer, Sunday, October 14,

DCR Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade, BostonVisit makingstrideswalk.org/bostonma to register.

Celebrate our fourth birthdayOpen House, Tuesday, November 27, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m.,

AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston

A little friendly competition

Guests enjoy spending time outdoors on beautiful summer days. A July Beanbag Toss Tournament drew a crowd as guests debated strategy, of-

fered advice, and cheered one another to victory.

Arbella Insurance Game Nights are always popular with Lodge guests, with activities

such as dominoes, putting competitions, and cup-stacking contests offered along with adelicious dinner. Pictured below are Lodge

guest Brad Ebert from Indiana andBeverlyTangvik from Arbella.

Visit usonline to make a

donation to the Astra-

ZenecaHope Lodge

Centerin Boston.

Minor renovations keep Lodge in shape

The kitchen and dining room are the heart of the Lodge and a natural gathering place for old and new friends. They’re also the most trafficked areas of the building. This summer, the old cork flooring in the kitchen

was replaced as part of the Lodge’s routine maintenance.

Jamie DiLoreto, the associate athletic director for the school, goes out of his way to make the day memorable for Lodge guests.

“We’re so grateful to be able to offer these experiences to our guests. Many of them are here for an extended stay; when they’re feeling up to it, they really enjoy the opportunity to do something special. It helps them take their mind off their treatment and just relax,” Harter continued.

Recent corporate ticket donors have included Arbella Insur-ance, Boston College Athletic Department, Charles River Labora-tories, Converse, Covidien, and Gulf Oil.

If you would like to donate event tickets or tickets to spe-cial exhibits at local museums, please contact the Lodge at 617.396.5510.

Fiddlers bring joy to the Lodge

A trio of talented musicians from the MANNAM Volunteer Association shared their talent with Lodge

guests last month. Their performance, which included fiddle favorites, ragtime, and pop tunes, had guests

laughing, smiling, and clapping along.

From the desk of Bryan Harter

The summer months are as busy as ever at the Lodge. We remain full every single night with a waitlist, and continue to benefit from all the wonderful meals, social events, and other activities provided to our guests by our incredibly dedicated volunteers. Here you will read about a few recent happenings, and you may notice that we will be celebrating our fourth birthday in November.

With almost 50,000 free nights of housing provided to over 1,500 cancer patients since we opened, what an impact we have had thanks to all the support and efforts of all of you. On behalf of the Lodge staff, we wish you a cool and safe summer, and extend our true thanks for the many ways you continue to make the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in Boston a reality.

Bryan Harter, MBA, LICSWDirector

AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center in BostonAmerican Cancer Society, New England Division125 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130Bryan Harter, MBA, LICSW, Director617.396.5510, bryan.harter@cancer.orgChristopher Thomas, Senior VP for

Leadership Giving508.270.4830, christopher.thomas@cancer.org.www.cancer.org/hopelodgeboston

The American Cancer Society saves lives by helping you stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early, helping you get well by being there for you during and after a diagnosis, by finding cures through groundbreaking discovery and fighting back through pub-lic policy. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 800.227.2345 or visit cancer.org.

When Florida resident John Murr was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in May 2011, he realized right away where he wanted to be treated. A Boston native, John knew that the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was one of the best cancer centers in the world, and he couldn’t settle for anything less. That June he began chemotherapy at the Farber three times a month, flying from the Tampa Bay area into Logan Airport on Jet Blue, for which he and his wife, Kay, are both flight attendants.

John, known throughout the Lodge as ‘Jet Blue John,’ was accustomed to frequent travel, but the financial burden was taking its toll. Fortunately, a social worker at Dana-Farber told John and Kay about the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center. “From the minute we walked in, we got this sense of family,” John said. “The atmosphere was so welcoming and positive.”

“It’s a godsend, it really is,” John continued. “Not having to worry about hotel expenses is a saving grace. Cancer patients have enough to worry about as it is, and it’s a relief knowing the Lodge is there for you.”

John credits the Lodge, its healing atmosphere, and the support he has received for his recovery. His own mother passed away from cancer when he was fourteen, and he wonders if things would have turned out differently for her had she been able to stay at a place like the Lodge. “You might expect a place like this to be depressing, given what everyone is going through, but it’s the opposite,” John said. “Everyone has a positive attitude. You’ll never see the staff here without a smile on their face.”

One of John’s favorite things about the Lodge is Game Night, along with the variety of other nightly activities of-fered by volunteers. He said it helps everyone take their mind off things and just relax. Tickets to Red Sox games and homemade breakfasts have also brightened his days at the Lodge.

Though John will be done with his treatment in September, he plans to give back to the Lodge in any way possible. He recently started his own travel agency, and he has all kinds of fundraising ideas.

“I can’t say enough about this place,” John said. “I tell everyone about it!”

Michele Portlock found reiki nearly five years ago, performing the healing art on herself to cope with sciatic pains caused by stress. She eventually opened a fulltime reiki practice after it became clear that she preferred helping others heal to her job as an executive assistant. Michele believes that reiki has made her happier and more emotionally bal-anced, and she embraces opportunities to share this positive energy with others.

So when Michele first heard about the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge Center from one of its guests, she immediately asked, “Do they have reiki there?” When she discovered that they didn’t, Michele began offering free reiki services to pa-tients and caregivers once a week.

A Reiki Master and Teacher, Michele described reiki as a natural healing experience in which the practitioner uses their body as an energy channel for the recipient, lightly placing their hands upon a person, or keeping the hands raised above the body, so that a positive energy flows.

“Reiki is all about mental, physical, and spiritual healing,” Michele said. “It can help manage pain, reduce stress or anxiety, and relieve insomnia.”

Lodge guests and caregivers can book half-hour appointments with Michele every Wednesday, and she always has a waiting list. Guests often want reiki when they are return-ing from a procedure or preparing for an upcoming treatment. “Most people fall asleep during their sessions, and some have told me that this was the only time they could sleep at all,” Michele said.

“It’s really their time to take care of them-selves. They wake up with a sense of renewal and peace,” Michele explained. “No one has a bad experience.”

One grateful guest remarked, “After my first session with Michele, I felt so much more re-laxed and able to see life with new, clear eyes. The relief and clarity that reiki brings to my

life cannot be matched by any other form of healing.” Others have said that without the experience of reiki, they would not have made it through the cancer journey.

Michele feels privileged to be able to volunteer at the Lodge. “I’m humbled by the fact that the guests are opening up to me at such a vulnerable time in their lives,” she said. “Wednesday is my favorite day, because that’s when I go to the Lodge. It’s a wonderful place, and I’m so happy to be a part of it.”

Complementary therapy offers guests a helping handLodge enriches the soulof frequent flier John Murr

John Murr credits theAstraZeneca Hope Lodge

for his recovery.

Cancer patients and their caregivers

stayed more than 249,000 nights in

the 31 American Cancer Society Hope

Lodge facilities, saving those guests

more than $23 million in lodging

expenses. Combined, the 31 Hope

Lodge facilities have 970 rooms and

operate at near full capacity.

SavetheDate

Hope Lodge Boston Invitational

American Cancer Society presents the

The Country ClubBrookline, Massachusetts

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Honoring Sandy Cunningham

Lodge guests look forward to Michele Portlock’s weekly reiki

appointments.