{"id":70,"date":"2022-01-31T10:23:30","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T16:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kathys-house.org\/?page_id=70"},"modified":"2022-06-24T10:23:29","modified_gmt":"2022-06-24T15:23:29","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kathys-house.org\/about\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Story"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Kathy
Kathy Vogel Kuettner and Family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where We Came From<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our story starts with the selfless vision of a dying young woman. In 2000, Kathy Vogel Kuettner, 39, a wife with three small daughters, died of Burkitt\u2019s lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin\u2019s lymphoma. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Dick and Judy Vogel<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Kathy\u2019s wish<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While she was in the hospital, she worried about someone else: another young cancer patient down the hall. Unlike Kathy, he was suffering alone because his family lived out of town and couldn\u2019t afford to stay in Milwaukee to be with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before she died, Kathy asked her parents, Dick and Judy Vogel, to create an affordable place to stay to keep families together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivering on a promise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Kathy\u2019s parents were determined to bring her vision of a hospital guest house to life. They rallied friends and family to make it happen. Thanks to their relentless efforts, in July 2001, Kathy\u2019s House opened in a leased building in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, dedicated to the memory of this kind, compassionate young woman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Kathy's
The former Kathy’s House building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where We Are Now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As demand for our services grew, our 18-room house was frequently at capacity. Too often facing the heartbreaking decision to turn away guests and facing the expiration of our lease, we began to explore options for a new, larger building. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
The new Kathy’s House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A New Home for Healing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, we announced our plans to build a new Kathy\u2019s House on a site near Froedtert Hospital, where many of our guests receive medical treatment. Donors nationwide, from past guests to big companies, generously gave to our building project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In June 2021, we opened our new, 38-room house that we believe will be a national model<\/a> for hospital guest houses. At 32,000 square feet, more than twice the size of our previous building, the new Kathy\u2019s House doubles our capacity to serve guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 The additional space and guest-supportive features help make it a welcoming, comforting respite\u2014much more than just a place to sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where We\u2019re Going<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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