Couple impressed by how at-home they felt

Cathy Van Den Heuvel declares there’s something special about being told to clean up your room.

“When people say that Kathy’s House is a home away from home, it really is. You take pride in making sure that everything is clean. You have to clean up after yourself because you’re taking care of your home,” she said.

Thoughtful, special touches also impressed Cathy during her second stay at the House. “Something as simple as sticky notes when you use the washing machine. Free detergent. Everything is thought out.”

Diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2017, Cathy’s husband Denis is now undergoing stem cell treatment at Froedtert for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“When you walk in here it is just a huge weight off our shoulders because of the convenience and comfort. Everyone embraced us. It’s a lot better than sitting in a hotel room. I can guarantee you that,” said Cathy.

Added husband Denis, “When I compare this to a hotel room, this is heaven.

“You can tell they did a good job planning out the house,” Denis continued. “It’s nice to have the area downstairs. I read a book for an hour or two while Cathy was at a meeting.”

One of their biggest worries was having to isolate for two weeks, something they were able to do in a suite at Kathy’s House. Cathy feels much safer here than at a hotel. Denis was able to have his blood cell count checked and be monitored to see if anything was off kilter. If needed, he could be admitted.

Despite it all, they feel very lucky.

The Caregiver’s Cup podcast

Listen to an episode of Cathy’s podcast, The Caregiver’s Cup, featuring an interview with Kathy’s House president and CEO Patty M.