Volume 2

October 2010

The change of venue for this year’s golf scramble on June 10th and 11th proved

to be a huge success, raising over $32,000 for Jill’s House, Inc. The world-class

golf courses at the French Lick Resort attracted 32 teams for Thursday’s scramble

on the Donald Ross course; and 28 golfers signed up for the “VIP” package that

included an overnight at the West Baden Springs Hotel and 18 holes on the Pete

Dye course on Friday.

Following Thursday’s scramble, the golfers and many other Jill’s House support-

ers attended the “Denim and Diamond Bash” at the French Lick Springs Hotel.

Bloomington’s own Emmy-award winning opera star, Sylvia McNair, performed

live for guests, while former Miss Indiana, Sheila Stephen, emceed the event, stir-

ring up the bidding for the many items available at both silent and live auctions.

Bloomington realtor Tim Ellis did the honors as auctioneer.

As in past years, the major sponsor for Jill’s House biggest annual fundraising

event was Prairie Material.

“This event could not have happened without the many

volunteer hours of the Jill‟s House Golf Committee, the Board, and the many dedicated sponsors and participants.”

- Gary Scott, Golf Committee Chair

From the Board President

Annual Golf Event Raises $32K +

It’s hard to believe that another

year has slipped by so quickly – the

second year of operation for Jill’s

House - but it’s been a year full of sat-

isfying accomplishments that I’m proud to share with you.

• Jill’s House, already unique among hospital hospital-

ity houses, has begun to generate questions from treatment

centers across the country about how we’ve made it work

• An acknowledged asset for out-of-town patients, Jill’s

House is being included in MPRI’s new marketing materials as

a distinguishing feature of the Bloomington center

• From the first year of operation to the second, the

percentage of non-commuting MPRI patients choosing to stay

at Jill’s House has grown from 33% to 51% of the total

• Jill’s House occupancy in the first eight months of

2010 increased 12% compared to the same period in 2009

• And those guests are very satisfied with their experi-

ence – 100% have indicated on exit surveys that they would

recommend Jill’s House to other patients and their families

• With direction from Dr. Dennis Morrison of Center-

stone Research Institute, the Board of Directors has com-

mitted to a strategic planning process to better position

Jill’s House, Inc. for sustainability into the future

• And finally, in spite of the challenging economic

environment, Jill’s House has been able to maintain its his-

toric level of charitable contributions, indicating that its

mission continues to resonate strongly with our many gen-

erous corporate and individual donors

There’s always more work to do. In order to reach our long-

term goals, Jill’s House must continue to make its mission

more broadly known and understood, and it must develop an

even wider base of substantial support.

You can help. If you’re a current donor, thank you from all of

us. Your gift has helped provide the superior quality that dif-

ferentiates Jill’s House from other residential options for a

particularly vulnerable outpatient population.

If you’re not yet a donor, I encourage you to learn more

about how you can contribute to this unique—and valuable—

service by visiting our website www.jills-house.org

Jane Marie Lind, President

Happy Birthday, Peg Howard

Happy Anniversary, Jill‟s House

On July 1, 2010, Jill’s House, Inc. co-

founders, Peg and Bud Howard, wel-

comed over 100 friends to an Open

House Reception in honor of the sec-

ond anniversary of the opening of the

House. That day also happened to be

Peg Howard’s 80th birthday, so there

was plenty of cause for celebration!

Jill ’ s House 2010

Board of Directors

Jane Marie Lind,

President

Jane Thoma,

Vice President

Ed Gross, Treasurer

Bonnie Patton, Secretary

Jeffrey Alberts

Kathy Bayless

Eric Behrman

Marilyn Behrman

Hank Berman

Sheila Burrello

Alex Cartwright

Richard Helsper

Carole Holton

Bud Howard

Cassandra Howard

Jessica Merkel

Barbara Richards

Gary C. Scott

Sue Shindell

Rev. John VanderZee

B.J. Walls

Sara Wood

Staff

Susan Dabkowksi,

Executive Director

Janice Conder,

Volunteer Coordinator

JoAnn Frogue,

Asst. House Manager

Jackie Brummet,

Resident Assistant

I have a wonderful job.

Each day, I get to meet some

of the most courageous peo-

ple— from all walks of life,

from all over the country—

doing their best to deal with

a difficult situation. No one

chooses to be afflicted with

cancer; few volunteer to be

uprooted from the familiar

comforts of home for weeks

at a time.

Guests typically arrive at

Jill’s House with some trepi-

dation about the uncertain-

ties ahead. It’s heartwarming

to observe how the “magic”

of the community here al-

lows people to gradually relax

and draw strength and sup-

port from the other individu-

als, couples and families.

The mission of Jill’s House,

Inc. is to provide a comfort-

From the Executive Director

Jill‟s House was honored to be a chosen participant in the

recent community beautification initiative called Blooming-

ton in Bloom, made possible by a partnership of the Bloom-

ington Board of Realtors, the City of Bloomington, and

Indiana University. The grounds at 751 E. Tamarack Trail

were transformed through the cooperative gardening efforts

of Oliver Winery‟s Marian Keith (landscape designer), Jeff

Baldwin and teens from The Boys and Girls Club, Master

Gardener Louise Wohlafka, and volunteers from the Altrusa

Club and Jill‟s House. The result of the community-wide

collaboration was a “top honors” national award as a

2010 America in Bloom community. Congratulations, all!

Congratulations

Bloomington in Bloom

Jill’s House wishes to thank the following local businesses

for their support: Bloomington Anesthesiologists, P.C.

BloomingtonOnline.Net

Bob Evans Farms Restaurant

Booz Allen Hamilton

CFC, Inc.

Curry Auto Center

CVS Pharmacy

Deck the Walls

General Business Systems

German American Bancorp

Herald-Times

Honeycreek Landscapes

Hoosier Disposal

Hoosier Floor Care

Internal Medicine Associates

Kilroy’s

Marsh Supermarket

McGarry Appliance

Meadowood Retirement Comm. Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute

Monroe Bank

Nature’s Way

Oliver Winery

Owen County State Bank

Panera Bread

Prairie Material

ProCare Pest Control

St. John Associates

Select Comfort

Shiisa Quilts

Solution Tree

The Funeral Chapel

The Therapeutic Vine

Winters Associates

World Arts, Inc.

Thanks also to… 4-H Junior Leaders

Altrusa Int’l Club of Bloomington

Blooming Kids for Kindness

Bloomington Board of Realtors

Bloomington Quilters Guild

Bloomington Sunrise Rotary

Boys and Girls Club

Carmen Delgado’s

Elephant Rock Productions

First United Methodist Church

Hoosiers for Jill’s House

IU Children’s Choir/John Leonard

IU Recreational Sports Dept.

IU School of Nursing Students

Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni

Kappa Kappa Kappa

Moose Lodge #1081

Piecemakers Quilters, SOCC

Psi Iota Xi

Retired Nurses Club

Riverside School, Fishers, IN

SCI Membership Comm. Fund

able and affordable home-like resi-

dence for patients undergoing out-

patient treatment at MPRI. Fulfill-

ing the “affordable” part of our

mission depends on the generosity

of people like you. Residents of

Jill’s House are asked to contribute

$30 per night (per room) if they are

financially able. These lodging fees

represent ~50% of the income

needed for operating expenses.

Without the support of our donors,

Jill’s House couldn’t be the safe

haven that it is for so many.

In addition to financial contribu-

tions, the success of Jill’s House is

also enhanced by the gifts of time

and talent from our treasured vol-

unteers, such as Helen Gibbons

(pictured below). Please consider how

you can help. Even a modest dona-

tion can make a big difference.

With much appreciation,

Susan Dabkowski, Executive Director

Dr. Helen Gibbons, our friendly

Friday front desk volunteer.

What Our Guests Are Saying...

“Jill’s House truly is the gold standard for this type facility! What I appreciated most was the comfort, safety, pristine condition, sociability and support.” - Ned “As the husband of an MPRI patient, I can honestly say that the staff at both Jill’s House and MPRI were the best service providers I’ve ever worked with … I thank MPRI for my wife’s remark-able recovery. But it was Jill’s House that made the 8 weeks a great experi-ence.” - Jim “Nice facility, great location, very clean, and very friendly staff. Having so many things provided by Jill’s House made it much easier on caregivers. The only thing we had to concentrate on was the person getting the treatments.” - Joyce “I considered the proton facility in Jacksonville as well as MPRI, but Jill’s House made this place superior in every way.” - Tom “We found Jill’s House to be well-run, clean, secure and comfortable with a friendly staff. Things worked as de-scribed: communal activities abound but privacy is respected . . .It’s a nice place, the product of work we never see.” - Nancy

2010 has brought numerous changes to

MPRI, resulting in a

stronger place to

work and to deliver

preeminent patient care. But these

changes have not affected us alone.

► Some physicians have left MPRI, but

we also have recruited some excellent

new physicians, including Dr. Jeff

Buchsbaum, pediatric radiation on-

cologist. Our board-certified medical

team is now stronger than ever.

► During these tough economic times,

we still see a steady flow of pa-

tients to MPRI. While the majority

comes to us from Indiana and the sur-

rounding states, we continue to at-

tract patients from around the coun-

try and beyond. We anticipate that

2011 will be a year of growth as the

economy begins to recover.

► Our marketing efforts have focused

this year on three distinct projects:

our Website, collateral materials for

patients, and an informational piece

designed for referring clinicians.

However, our former patients continue

to be a resource for patient refer-

rals.

Guest Spotlight: Stanley Collins House offered that opportunity - and a whole lot more.

When you first meet someone, you ask where they are from, what they do for a living, etc. But when you ask what brought them to Jill’s House, and you learn about their journey, an immediate bond is formed. We realize that we are not alone; that other people are dealing with the same confusion, fear, and uncer-tainty that come with a cancer diagnosis. Sharing our stories in the kitchens and dining room became the best “Emotional Therapy” available.

Living at Jill’s House was an experience that l will never forget. The fellowship

and “Family” concept of Jill’s House will stay with me forever. I have made friends that I will connect with the rest of my life.

To the co-founders who made Jill’s House become a reality, the workers who manage it, and the supportive volunteers – you are all HEROES in the difficult fight against a cruel disease. May God Bless Jill’s House!

Captain Stanley Collins

Guests Kari, Catherine & Grace

► Finally, one of our

parent organizations,

Clarian Health, is

going through a state-

wide rebranding ef-

fort. Clarian will become Indiana

University Health. MPRI is in-

volved in this initiative, and we

are examining our brand presence.

Stay tuned for updates between now

and the New Year!

We continue to relish our unique

relationship with Jill’s House –

which remains our largest single

housing partner for patients trav-

eling to Bloomington. We appreci-

ate the hospitality and care that

both staff and volunteers show to

our patients.

Richard S. Helsper, MBA, FACHE

Chief Operating Officer, MPRI

After researching the treatment options available for prostate cancer, I decided to receive proton therapy at MPRI in Bloomington, Indi-ana. Immediately after my initial con-sultation, my wife and I drove the very short distance to Jill’s House for a tour. As soon as we walked through the front door, I was hooked! In choosing where to stay dur-ing my nine week treatment period, it was important to me to be able to con-nect with other people who were going through the same thing I was. Jill’s

“The fellowship and „Family‟

concept of Jill‟s House will

stay with me forever.”

Jill’s House, Inc.

751 E. Tamarack Trail

Bloomington, IN 47408

812.339.JILL (5455)

812.336.7712 (fax)

JH@jills-house.org

www.Jills-House.org

The Comforts of Home — The Best of Care

Jill’s House, Inc. is an independent

501(c)3 not-for-profit organization

and a member of the National

Association of Hospital Hospitality

Houses.

The mission of Jill‟s House, Inc. is to provide a comfortable, affordable home-like residence for patients undergoing

outpatient treatment at the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI) in Bloomington, Indiana.

-Paper towels, Toilet paper -Liquid hand sanitizer

-Zip-lock bags -gallon size -All purpose spray cleaner -Trash bags -39 gal size -Dishwasher detergent -Disinfecting wipes -Electronic games for kids -Laundry detergent, Bleach -Filter-pack coffee -Toilet bowl cleaner -1st class postage stamps -Disposable gloves - Batteries: AA, AAA

Anyone Can Help! Donations of these common items

are always appreciated:

Thank you Altrusa

International Club of

Bloomington for

earning the Jill‟s

House, Inc. Volunteer

Group of the Year

Award!

NON PROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

BLOOMINGTON IN

PERMIT # 11