A Letter from the Executive Director

Thanks to conversations with several friends recently, I have been thinking about how much time cancer takes from one’s life.  The scheduling, the traveling to and from doctor visits and tests, the interminable waits in “waiting” rooms, the hospital stays, the treatments themselves.  There is the waiting on phones… for results, for “the other shoe to drop”… and that’s just about the cancer.  What happens to the life that filled all your hours before cancer entered the scene?

That part of cancer is also the transactional part, where one exchanges insurance cards for services, dollars when insurance doesn’t cover—where identification and release forms are a part of every transaction. And if there isn’t money or insurance, there often isn’t treatment.

HopeWell is different.  HopeWell is the counterbalance.

HopeWell knows that cancer turns things upside down—whether you are young or old, rich or poor.  It is a tenet of our mission—a basic belief and our philosophy—that to create a community of equals, to create a homelike environment, to be a refuge, that we would never charge for our services.

Early on, we were asked “Why not a sliding scale?”  We took the question seriously and sought opinions and advice from philanthropic and business leaders.  We investigated the cost of administering such a system and discovered that charging would not be cost-effective.

However, even thinking of charging and introducing the paperwork it would entail, went against our belief system of creating community.  HopeWell is a culture focused on openness and comfort, of honoring each person as they are, of welcoming each individual equally. We know how much cancer can influence one’s financial state.  We are committed to keeping our principle in place.

The services we offer at no charge come with a significant price: professional staff, maintenance of two buildings and 8.5 acres of land, a mortgage, and the infrastructure that keeps all the balls in the air. HopeWell needs to raise nearly $1 million this fiscal year and we have a long, long way to go.  This website offers many options for giving. Each gift is deeply valued.  

Think of those who come to HopeWell.  We can’t give back the time that cancer takes away.  But we can help people appreciate the now.  At a time filled with worries and waiting, HopeWell is an invaluable and welcome gift.  

With your support this season, we can begin to reach our goals, ensuring we will always be here when people need us most.

With heartfelt thanks,

Suzanne Brace
Executive Director