Hope Lodge to provide home away from home for cancer patients
Cancer patients now have a free place they can call home when they come to Jacksonville for treatment with the opening of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge on the Mayo Clinic campus. The American Cancer Society celebrated the launch of what is its 34th residence within the United States for cancer patients, their families and caregivers with a celebratory ribbon-cutting Feb. 4.
Gathered at the ceremony were guests, philanthropists and others interested in the mission of the new residential facility, which will allow patients to stay for as long as their treatment lasts.
Speaking at the event were Gary Reedy, CEO of the American Cancer Society, Pat Geraghty, president and CEO of Florida Blue and a member of the American Cancer Society board of directors, Charlie Tomm, chair of the Hope Lodge Capital Campaign, Dr. Kent Thielen, CEO of Mayo Clinic, Florida, and the lodge’s main benefactor, Richard M. Schulze, who has helped to build five Hope Lodges around the country. Also speaking was Erin Tusa, a Hope Lodge guest.
Also in attendance were some members of the lodge’s capital campaign committee that included Carter and Cheryl Bryan, Sheila Collier, George Egan, Syd Gervin, Dick and Marcia Morales, Gil Pomar III, Susan and Jay Williams and Carol Tucker.
“This is a very special place in the heart of our family,” said Schulze, noting that he lost his wife and the mother of his children 18 years ago to mesothelioma. “There were many trips we had to take, and there were many challenges that surrounded all the treatments that she had to go through. We had an opportunity in that process to really see what people go through when they’re enduring treatment. It just became obvious to us that if we could add some value to the lives of those that are going through that process, it would mean so much to our family and in remembrance to my late wife.”
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