“We have four children in our family.* They all love to come to Wellness Place to hang out, work with their art therapist and talk. She has taken a personal and genuine interest in our family beyond what I ever expected. Her work with the kids has made this a safe place for them to share, to be themselves and to talk with someone who understands a bit more than most people, what is going on and what it feels like to deal with cancer in your family.

We have attended the Back to School seminar, the Pediatric Oncology Parents Networking Group, and massage for Will. To be at a support group with my husband and hear others’ stories; how cancer had landed on their doorstep, how they were handling it, how their “new normal” was shaping up, their frustrations, worries, and concerns with life, friends, insurance and doctors. It broke my heart, opened it up a bit more, and healed it all at the same time.

To have a center like Wellness Place just down the road from my house, provide care and support for not only my son but my family means a lot. My friends and family have provided tremendous support but the support of the Wellness Place is of another kind – it comes from knowing first hand the impact cancer can have on a family.”  

Joan Kelley

* Will Kelley passed away in May 2010