From the Executive Director

 

Dear Friends of JW House,

It is fitting to write this message for our February newsletter as people associate February with Valentines, and when I think about JW House I think about love, caring and dedication. I also associate sweets with Valentine's day, and most days the smell of freshly baked brownies carries through JW House.

Every day I am surrounded by families who are so thankful to be at JW House so they can be steps away from their loved ones in the hospital. When you have a loved one in the hospital, it can be emotionally stressful and I see firsthand how important it is for families to have a port in the storm.

2011 was a fantastic year for JW House. We expanded our Day Use hours on the weekends, recruited more volunteers, implemented programs such as a Pediatric Oncology Support Group and more. Last year our amazing roster of volunteers donated over 7,000 hours of their time to the mission of JW House! JW House volunteers are the heart and soul of our operation and it is apparent they are invested in all of the families we serve.

I encourage you to read the Innis Family's story. They are a family beloved by all of us at JW House and shared their story with you about their stays at JW House while their son Mitch was hospitalized.

Stay tuned in the coming months for announcements about upcoming events at JW House. We are having an Easter Egg Hunt at JW House in April, and JW House will be a stop on the Santa Clara Garden Tour in May. We are also in need of volunteers for both events---please contact me at jill@jwhouse.org if you are interested. 

Thank you again for your support of JW House. YOU make it possible for us to help families facing medical crisis.

Warmly,

Jill Mitsch

Executive Director

Dear JW House,

We won't make you read to the end to learn that our son, Mitch Boyer, is alive and doing okay right now.

A couple of years ago Mitch was ravaged by an auto-immune disease called Wegener's granulomatosis. The disease hopscotched throughout his body, shutting down blood supply to various organs, and leaving a trail of extensive damage.

Mitch spent more than 200 days in Kaiser Hospital, a great deal of that time in critical care. Needless to say either Michelle or I (mainly Michelle) were by his side virtually every waking moment. We live in San Diego and had to divide our time in Santa Clara. We were almost never there together; when one of us got too tired to carry on, we would switch places with the other and literally pass like ships in the dark on Interstate 5.

We stayed mostly in nearby hotels. But when space was available we were blessed to stay at the JW House. For people immersed in giving bedside care to loved ones at Kaiser Hospital, JW House is a godsend. Its location within the hospital compound allowed us to know we were never far from Mitch's side. We felt comfortable spending the night knowing we could be back to his room within a few minutes when emergencies arose. And they did! During daylight hours, we were greatly comforted knowing we could leave his room, grab a bite to eat and a short nap, and be back within a few minutes, refreshed. This helped give us the ability to sprint through an illness of marathon proportions.

In our experience, JW House is a sanctuary of sorts: a place that soothes and regenerates shattered nerves and exhausted bodies. JW House is a place where you can find consolation and understanding, or be left alone. It is a place where you can find a shoulder to lean on, or offer your own to another. It is a place where you can sit down to a home cooked meal or grab a snack as you hurry back to the hospital.

In these regards, JW House is much more a "home" than a "house." And as a home, it contrasts starkly with the loneliness, isolation, and alienation we often felt staying at hotels.

JW House, the concept, the layout, and most importantly the staff and volunteers helped us immensely by allowing us to maintain our presence during this most difficult time, and to aid us in our efforts to help save Mitch's life.

In deepest thanks and gratitude,

Michelle and Jack Innis