When you are coping with a life-threatening illness and treatments that sap your strength, worrying about where you are going to stay in between treatments can be overwhelming. West Penn Manor was established by West Penn Hospital to meet the needs of transplant patients and their families who live outside the Pittsburgh area and require intensive outpatient follow-up after a stem cell transplant. Having access to a free or low-cost home-like residence in close proximity to West Penn Hospital has been essential to helping patients and families cope with this difficult experience.
West Penn Manor is conveniently located across the street from the hospital on South Matilda Street. Although there are 12 apartments in the building, only five currently are usable, so major renovations are planned to update, improve, and modernize the building. When the building is renovated, all of the apartments will be usable, doubling its capacity to serve patients and their families.
Each apartment has a bedroom, bathroom and combination living room and kitchen. There is no elevator in the building, which presents a problem for patients who are unable to negotiate several flights of stairs. In addition to an elevator, West Penn Manor also will get new lighting, flooring, new air conditioning and heating units, furnishings, appliances, an intercom system, and wireless Internet access.
Despite its issues, many patients and families have been very grateful over the past 10 years, to have this "home away from home." Sharon Allen, whose daughter Emily underwent a bone marrow transplant at West Penn, wrote the following, "Western Penn Manor has been a dream to have for so many reasons. First and foremost it is right across the street from the hospital. I am able to come shower, do laundry and get provisions in little or no time without having to get in my car and worry about parking. Family is able to stay and having a place so close allows us to rotate our time with Emily."
West Penn Hospital Foundation has designated West Penn Manor the recipient of many of its fundraisers this year, including the 2009 Friendship Ball, the Annual Appeal Campaign, the Employee Campaign, and the 2009 Golf Classic. Donations will help to meet the Foundation's goal of renovating and modernizing this building that is a lifeline for so many out-of-town patients and their families. Work will get under way this year and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.
To help raise funds for West Penn manor, the family of Stacy Rae Gross has established Stacy's Helping Hands Charitable Foundation. Stacy Rae Gross had been a patient of the Western Pennsylvania Cancer Institute. Although Stacy never stayed at West Penn Manor because she lived close to the Hospital, her family realized its importance to familes and patients who live out of the area and decided to help. The proceeds from the sale of Stacy's artwork is being used to help renovate West Penn Manor. In addition, her mother, Wanda Michaels and her husband, Ralph Gross donated 16 framed pieces of Stacy's beautiful artwork to brighten up the apartments. You can view and purchase Stacy's artwork on www.stacyshelpinghands.org. Stacy's family's tribute to her and the Stacy's Helping Hands Foundation was featured in a June 3, 2009 Pittsburgh Post Gazette article.
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