Giving people Hope

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

Alice Montagnoli is grateful for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge.
Montagnoli’s life changed last September when her husband Charles underwent emergency surgery on his colon. During the procedure, doctors discovered that he had a rare form of cancer.
Charles Montagnoli, who had displayed no symptoms before his cancer was diagnosed, was referred to an oncologist in Ohio. The couple from Mullica Hill, N.J., traveled for a consultation and stayed a night at an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Cincinnati.
Later, when it was time for outpatient treatments to begin, the Montagnolis headed back to Ohio. This time, they spent 40 days in the Hope Lodge at no charge while Mr. Montagnoli was being treated. They had full use of the kitchen, laundry room and other amenities.
The staff and other residents were friendly, becoming almost a part of their extended family. Back at home, the couple’s family had peace of mind that they were in good hands.
To Mrs. Montagnoli, the Hope Lodge was a "home away from home."
"It’s just a beautiful facility," she said.
Last week, the Montagnolis attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the newest Hope Lodge. It’ll be located on 3.2 acres of land on Laurel Avenue in Cheltenham. The ground was donated by Fox Chase Cancer Center, whose campus is a quarter-mile away.
The local facility will be called the AstraZeneca Hope Lodge in honor of the pharmaceutical giant’s $2 million gift. The 30,000-square-foot structure will open in late 2008 and feature 37 private guest rooms, a community living room, kitchen, library, exercise room and laundry facilities. An estimated 1,300 cancer patients and their caregivers will stay there annually and have access to transportation.
Right now, the American Cancer Society operates 23 Hope Lodges nationwide. The only one in Pennsylvania is located in Hershey. The local site is among 20 planned across the country.
Dr. Robert C. Young, the outgoing president of Fox Chase Cancer Center, can understand why the Montagnolis were so appreciative of their stay. Young, the onetime national president of the American Cancer Society, said the travel can be grueling for cancer patients and their families.
"This is going to change that dynamic for a lot of people with cancer," he said.
Young said Fox Chase, the nation’s first and largest hospital dedicated solely to cancer treatment, sees 7,000 new patients per year, with an additional 70,000 outpatients. Many of the out-of-town patients and their families stay at the Doubletree Hotel.
In Young’s opinion, local cancer patients and their caregivers deserve a place like a Hope Lodge.
"The need is huge," he said.
The campaign committee is co-chaired by Mitchell Morgan, president and CEO of Morgan Properties, and Dr. Howard Kessler, chairman of the radiology department at Holy Redeemer Hospital and Medical Center. The campaign’s theme is Giving Hope a Home in Philadelphia.
Morgan and Kessler traveled to Baltimore to take a look at that city’s Hope Lodge and were impressed. The residents are engaged. They don’t merely sit in their rooms watching television and eating.
"I came away saying, ‘Why can’t we have one in Philadelphia?’ " Morgan said. "It’s a terrific, terrific place to stay. The whole therapeutic process is to be with the other patients."
So far, the campaign has raised $7.3 million of its $10 million goal. Young explained that an endowment has been created to pay for operating costs.
A number of individuals and groups have donated $100,000 or more. Men’s college basketball coaches Fran Dunphy of Temple and Phil Martelli of St. Joseph’s were on hand to announce that the Coaches vs. Cancer charity has upped its pledge from $100,000 to $1 million.
Tony Zook, president and CEO of AstraZeneca, said scientific research is important because 4,000 people a day are diagnosed with cancer. Garry Pincock, CEO of the American Cancer Society’s Pennsylvania Division, was happy to note that the death rates for cancer have dropped 14 percent since 1991.
AstraZeneca, Zook said, was glad to join the American Cancer Society and Fox Chase Cancer Center in pooling their resources because all three share the goal of eradicating cancer.
"We knew it was the right thing to do immediately," he said.
Pincock, the cancer society official, said cancer treatment is more than just medicine. That view was echoed by Dr. Calvin Johnson, secretary of the state Department of Health.
Johnson, who lived in nearby Wyncote before moving to Harrisburg for his job, pointed out that 74,000 Pennsylvanians are diagnosed every year with cancer. He said Hope Lodges are invaluable for patients and their families.
"That holistic approach does make a difference," he said. ••
Tom Waring can be reached at 215-949-4215 or twaring@phillynews.com