Meet some of the wonderful people who have stayed with us
and what the experience has meant to them.
Gina
Gina had a devastating 2019 that included losing her mother in May and husband in July. She served as the primary caregiver for both. She was nominated by the Hospice Team who supported the family through two tragic losses.
Despite the unimaginable weight of her circumstances, Gina pushed through, devoting all of herself to her family and her community as well— and lost herself in the process. After her respite stay she shared, “Most caregivers I know labor tirelessly to make sure their loved one is comfortable and forget all about themselves. The idea of being away gives the caregiver permission to regroup, release and revive.”
Gina (center) gets the happy news from her nominating Hospice Team at Community North Health Network that she recieved a respite stay with us. “Purple is my favorite color!” she said. Her nominators were also delighted. “We seldom get to share such good news with our clients, so it’s definitely a morale boost for us as well,” they said.
Artetta (left) and her daughter Megan enjoyed a few days at the cottage in June 2023 remembering the good times and making new memories.
ARTETTA
You never know what is going to stand out about someone’s visit to the cottage. Little things that make the time extra special and help them feel even more connected to their loved ones. For Artetta, it was stars on the ceiling.
“I love the starry night in the bedroom-- what a surprise! And brought back so many memories. Allowed me to remember those great times growing up with my sister.”
The sister to which she’s referring is her younger sister, Vonne, who she cared for during her four and a half month battle with ALS.
Mary
Mary had hoped she and her sister Evelyn, who was battling cancer, would be able to come to the coast together. The beach was one of their favorite places, and they had never been to Wilmington. Sadly, Evelyn’s illness took a swift turn and she passed away before the two could make the trip to the Little Purple House. Mary, having been with her every step of the way, was devastated.
Lisa Lundeen, Lead Chaplain at Cone Health Cancer Center, nominated Mary shortly after Evelyn’s passing, believing that a change of scenery would “be a tremendous gift as she greives, as well as help her adjust to life without such a devoted, caregiving focus.”
Mary accepted our invitation and spent a special Valentine’s getaway at the cottage reconnecting with her loving and supportive husband. “People don’t know what it is like to go through cancer or any terminal illness and remain the same. To get away from the scenery that reminds me, and the people who want to help me but don’t know how is so refreshing. It was just wonderful. It was like breathing out again,” she said.
Mary and her husband Clay enjoyed a special Valentine’s getaway together in 2020.
This is what a warrior looks like. Susan relaxes on the porch over Labor Day Weekend 2021.
susan
Four. Four quarters in a game. Four weeks in a month. Four seasons of the year. And for Susan, four different cancer battles in her 50 years of life. If anyone knows how important respite is for patients and caregivers, it’s her.
Thanks to a perfect storm of awful circumstances, Susan had served as her own primary caregiver for over a year when she contacted us. And what a year it was, “It’s been more brutal than anything else I’ve gone through. Divorce, Covid, losing friends, melanoma, breast reconstruction, holidays alone, two tongue surgeries, shoulder surgery, and turning 50… it was the worst!” CONTINUE READING SUSAN’S STORY
Amy & Mary
Meet Amy and Mary, two friends who had already been through so much— and then came Amy’s devastating cancer diagnosis. After completing 7 of 16 rounds of chemotherapy, the going was surely tough enough for these tough mamas to get going. Although uncertain if Amy would be physically or medically able to make the trip, they reached out to the Little Purple House hoping for an escape, and we were so glad they did. READ MORE ABOUT AMY & MARY and how being getting away actually brought them back home to themselves.
After 7 rounds of chemo, it was time for a break! So Amy and Mary headed to the Little Purple House to enjoy the freedom of time away over 4th of July, 2021.
We were honored to share the Little Purple House with a COVID ICU RN who stayed with us for a month while working at a nearby hospital.
Lauren H.
In March 2020, we were preparing for our next respite guest arrival when the whole world shut down. For the next year, we were unable to host respite visits due to the pandemic, and our fledgling program sat in limbo like so many things during COVID.
Fast forward one year later to when we got a panicked call from a friend. They had just had a plumbing disaster in their rental and someone was scheduled to move in that week. We were happy to help out. But when we learned that it was in fact, a travel ICU COVID nurse, we were honored. It was our chance to help pay it forward to a caregiving hero. MEET LAUREN
Nominator visit
Lauren Mullis Somers is a Clinical Social Worker and the Support Services Team Lead at the Doris S. Tanger Center for Patient & Family Support, part of the Cone Health Cancer Center in Greensboro, NC. When we began hosting respite guests in the summer of 2019, Lauren was one of the first people we invited to experience a visit to the cottage. Not only did we want to make sure what we were trying to create would be a good fit for her clients and potential nominees, but we were eager to get her feedback about how we could best accommodate caregivers and patients.
Taken just steps from the porch of the Little Purple House, there are some spectacular sunsets along the Cape Fear River.
Julie and her daughter enjoyed a serene, socially-distanced, sunset along the Riverwalk during their time in Wilmington.
Julie
“It is a gift to have the opportunity to have a stay at the LPH as a donor. It is a WIN/WIN in my book!”
Julie Stewart has made a career of supporting people through difficult situations. As the Director of Child Welfare Services and a mother of two, she knows all too well that you can’t pour from an empty cup.
Julie has been a supporter of Little Purple House Respite Stays from the start. When the stress of 2020 started tipping the scales too much, she booked a donor visit with us. In July, she and her daughter took a special road trip to the beaches, summer breezes, and of course, the porch. Not only did they have a great time, they knew that their trip would help pay it forward to someone else.
