"The Hope Lodge is a loving, caring place for people in need of help, company, and companionship. I met so many wonderful people in my same situation, and that makes the time and treatments bearable. It is like coming home every day to friends."
- Guest from Maryland
Dear Hope Lodge Supporters:
On behalf of the American Cancer Society, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your past support of our Hope Lodge in Boston. Whether you’ve participated in and supported our annual Key Gala fundraiser, contributed to our recent capital campaign, or simply donated to our mission – we thank you. I’d also like to recognize New England CEOs Against Cancer chapter who raised $1.76 million in support of the lodging program over the past two years.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Cancer Society made the difficult decision to suspend operations at our Hope Lodge facilities nationwide in late March 2020. We are thrilled to announce we have reopened the Hope Lodge in Boston as of October 12, 2021.
According to the CDC, more than 40 percent of adults avoided medical care due to the pandemic. Tens of thousands of routine cancer screenings were missed, potentially resulting in missed or delayed diagnoses. In addition, current patients put treatment on hold or changed protocols to ensure reducing their risk of COVID-19. Now that cancer screenings are resuming and patients are coming back to their treatment facilities, the need for lodging will be even greater.
We’ve been busy while the Lodge was closed! We used this time to expand two kitchens, add five new guest suites (bringing the total to 45), and to make other substantial improvements to the facility which will provide an even greater experience for our guests. And of course, we’ve made many necessary COVID-19 safety enhancements and will be adhering to the highest safety guidelines.
I hope you will consider making a meaningful contribution to Hope Lodge in Boston this year. In addition to the one-time safety enhancement costs, we still need to fund daily operations for the Lodge (normally funded through our annual Key Gala event which we were unable to hold once again this year).
With your help we will open our doors and once again provide a “home away from home” for those in need.
Sincerely,
Anthony Marino
Executive Vice President
Northeast Region