February 23, 2007

A haven for families

Since early January, 2-year-old Claire Powers has been a patient at the MGH's Francis H. Burr Proton Therapy Center, receiving daily treatments for Ewing's sarcoma on her tongue. While the extensive course of treatment can be grueling at times — particularly for a child as young as Claire — she and her mother, April Montgomery, are lucky to have a special place to rest, relax and recuperate after each day's treatment. The mother and daughter are the current residents at the Christopher's Haven apartment, which opened this past Labor Day to serve as a home away from home for children battling cancer at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and their families. Located at 10 Emerson Place, the spacious and comfortable apartment allows families to focus on their child's care by relieving them of the search for adequate and affordable temporary housing.

Christopher's Haven was founded in 2001 by Dan Olsen, a three-time cancer survivor who was treated at the MGH. During his many stays at the hospital, Olsen met families whose children also were battling cancer, and these young patients had a profound impact on him. "Sometimes I received my chemotherapy at the same time as these kids," says Olsen. "After I saw them there, I just thought, 'I need to do something to help them.' I asked around and discovered that housing was a major issue for these families."

Finding housing is indeed a particular challenge for many patients at the MGH. As a world-class medical center, the hospital attracts patients from across the globe seeking treatment for rare or complex conditions. Locating affordable, temporary housing in the Boston area for extended hospital stays often can be overwhelming.

This certainly was the case for Claire and her mother. Montgomery had planned to rent a short-term, furnished Beacon Hill apartment when they were offered the Christopher's Haven space. Their experience there has been nothing but positive. The apartment has two bedrooms, a full kitchen, Internet and cable access and a stock of household supplies, toys and books. While Claire and her mother are the only people currently living in the apartment full-time, their family members are able to join them for extended visits because of its spacious quarters. And most importantly, for Claire's safety, the apartment is conveniently located just steps away from the MGH. "Claire has seizures in addition to the Ewing's sarcoma," says Montgomery. "If anything goes wrong, we can take her right over to the hospital. I can sleep at night knowing that she's safe."

With demand already growing for the Christopher's Haven apartment, Olsen's immediate plan is to expand by purchasing more apartments in the same Emerson Place building. Eventually, he hopes to build a separate home modeled on the Ronald McDonald House with space for eight to 10 families whose children are receiving cancer treatment at the MGHfC.

For more information about Christopher's Haven, visit www.christophershaven.org.

Claire and her mother in the Christopher's Haven apartment