By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The opening of the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodge this week adds nine new jobs to Grand Rapids' economy. The jobs include two management positions and seven lodge coordinator positions. The lodge, which offers out-of-town cancer patients a free stay and various social services while they receive advanced health care at local institutions, will have at least one employee available 24/7.
"The jobs are filled with people absolutely attracted to the American Cancer Society," says Karyl DeBruyn, manager of the facility. "They want to work with our mission to eliminate cancer and support cancer patients. It's a very different type of employment because it's passion-driven."
That passion is apparent in Kerri Becktell, a new employee who underwent cancer treatments when she was 17. There was no Hope Lodge to make things easier for Kerri or her caregiver, her mom. After driving the one-and-a-half hours to treatment, her mom had to sleep sitting up in a chair next to Kerri's bed.
"I can't even imagine how much different things would have been for us in a place like this," Kerri says. "Now I can give something back."
Moreover, because she's a cancer survivor, Kerri can give Hope Lodge guests hope for their own futures.
The facility also relies heavily on volunteers to chauffeur guests to and from appointments and run errands, do some housekeeping, prepare special meals, wash dishes, or do library or handyman tasks.
"This place is awesome," says DeBruyn. "It's so clean and so well structured, and we're doing it mainly on volunteer power."
Source: Karyl DeBruyn, Hope Lodge
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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