For nearly ten years, Susan G. Komen® Upstate New York has been supporting Kevin Guest House by alleviating the financial burden for breast cancer patients who do not have easy access to specialized treatment close to home.
In 2019, Kevin Guest House was awarded a $5,000 grant from Komen Upstate New York to cover the accommodations for guests traveling for treatment of breast cancer, with the goal of funding 200 stays.
Kathleen Hughes, a breast cancer patient from Summerdale, Alabama, was one such patient. Kathleen was undergoing treatment at Roswell Park Comprehensive Center for nearly three months. Kathleen’s daughter, Sandra Davidson, and grandchildren Tara (1yr) and Amy (2yrs) were able to travel from Hamilton, Ontario
to support her during treatment. KGH also provided a comfortable place for her family to stay, including kid-friendly amenities like a toy-stocked playroom and spacious garden, to make a Buffalo feel a bit more like home during challenging times.
“Staying at Kevin Guest House has been wonderful. It’s comforting being so close to the hospital and knowing that Kevin Guest House is here when I need a home away from home. And I always brag about the amazing dinners,” said Kathleen. “Everybody going through treatment or watching their loved ones go through treatment needs something different. Sometimes you need to be alone, sometimes you want to be with people who are in the same boat as you. Here we have the opportunity to do what is best for us.”
Once diagnosed with cancers, it is important that patients continue to follow through with treatment. With subsidized lodging, patients may be more likely to come for their screenings, treatment and follow up appointments. Komen Upstate New York ‘s funding of KGH stays results in one less cost for patients and their families while providing a comfortable and supportive home away from home for patients that might otherwise forgo this care.
