Thursday, November 6, 2014

Brent’s Place, an inspiring home for pediatric cancer patients

This Thursday’s program resource is dedicated to Brent’s Place, a facility near and dear to Teen with a Dream. A little history on Brent’s Place:
“The Brent Eley Foundation was created in 1997 by Linda and Donn Eley as a tribute to their son, Brent, who was 14 years old when he was diagnosed with a fast-growing, highly malignant cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma.  Brent’s only chance for survival was a bone marrow transplant.
Because there was no pediatric bone marrow transplant facility in the Denver area when Brent was diagnosed in 1987, the Eley family traveled to Iowa City, Iowa, for his care.  With no options for safe and clean housing outside of the hospital after his transplant, Brent had to stay the greatest majority of his time in the hospital while his parents lived in a rented apartment for his 160 day hospital stay.  Sadly, Brent died from complications related to his transplant.  As a result of Brent’s separation from his family at a time of critical need and the extreme difficulty in finding suitable clean living arrangements, the ordeal was far worse for Brent and his family than it might have been, had they been able to stay together full time as a family unit.  The Eley family returned to Denver with the dream of helping others who temporarily have to relocate to obtain life saving cancer treatment, mindful of the fact that even their less than ideal living arrangements would have been financially impossible for many families”.
Over the years we have met truly inspiring families as they have leaned on the astounding opportunity that Brent’s Place provides. Do you know a family who could benefit from Brent’s Place programs and facility? Contact us at kati@teenwithadream.org 
Learn more on their website!

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