For Sheila Ellis, a breast cancer diagnosis meant one thing. “I wanted to come home,” the Sacramento resident said. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Sheila learned about about Froedtert Hospital, and about Kathy’s House, from her mother, who remains in the area.

Sheila could tell from the website that Kathy’s House was a special place. Being here validated that initial impression “For me, Kathy’s House is like a sanctuary. I feel connected to the space. I feel like it’s a place where I can physically, emotionally, and spiritually heal,” Sheila said.

Thinking about the challenges faced by everyone in her community at Kathy’s House inspired Sheila. She thought, “How can I transform the challenge that I’m going through? How can I transition into purpose?”

The answer was to bring her community together – for a bingo night. “I just wanted everyone to have a happy and memorable moment,” she says of the idea. Friends and family got onboard to donate prizes, and, with her husband Gerald, Sheila launched bingo night on October
28th. “Everyone had a great time,” she says. “Gerald and I will be hosting on a monthly basis until the end of the year, and we hope that bingo will be a monthly activity.”

It’s clear from the photos that bingo night was a success. Everyone at Kathy’s House is grateful to Sheila for her creativity and hard work in creating a memorable moment during a difficult time.