BOSTON, MA – A true haven for families battling cancer all over the world, this nonprofit is dedicated to providing a home away from home just steps from Boston hospitals that provides respite, a sense of community and unwavering support.
“Imagine your child has cancer and you have to travel across the country,” explains Susan Tufts Kagan, Executive Director of Christopher’s Haven. “It can be overwhelming to come to a new city for treatment, so we try to make everything as easy as possible.”
Just a stone’s throw from Massachusetts General Hospital and Dana Farber, their home-away-from-home sanctuary complete with individual family apartments and an activity lounge for children to play is nestled conveniently close to public transportation and major highways to take the load off what once was a lengthy commute for many patients. “We were traveling from 3 hours away with no traffic, sometimes 4, 4 1/2,” explains Mya, a mother with a young child undergoing treatment in Boston. “We were in the hospital and we got discharged at like 8pm one night and we were able to come here and it was like, the biggest breath of fresh air.”
For those like Mya that have other children at home, volunteer staff at Christopher’s Haven routinely go above and beyond to support families. “Part of what we offer as volunteers is a time for parents to you know, get ready for dinner or take a little more care out of their day for their younger ones who might need al ittle more time and attention,” explains Morgan, a Christopher’s Haven volunteer. “We try to make it feel very comfortable and welcoming to get to know families, get to know children, get to know who a person is beyond their cancer treatment.”
For families like Mya’s, it’s an action that doesn’t go unnoticed that allows not only a moment to breathe, but space to connect with parents going through similar situations and room for kids to establish lifelong friendships with a sense of community. “Being able to connect with the parents that are like can really understand where you are – it becomes just home away from home for a family to just lay their head for a moment and have nothing else to think about.”
To learn more about Christopher’s Haven, visit their website.
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Emmalyn Reid 