Giving families of critically ill patients a home-away-from-home

On May 11, 2005, Tim and Jan Van Zuidam received a phone call from Carle Foundation Hospital’s emergency department. It was a call every parent dreads. They were told their daughter, Erica, a freshman at the University of Illinois, was seriously ill. Their presence in Champaign-Urbana was needed at once. The doctor’s last words were, “Please hurry. There’s a good chance she won’t make it through the day.”

Although the Van Zuidams live 130 miles from Carle, the last thing on their minds was overnight accommodations. Tim and Jan simply got in their car and drove as fast as they could to their little girl. Like other families of critically ill patients, leaving the hospital for a moment’s rest would not be an option. Thankfully, Carle takes care of its patients’ families, too. The Carle Auxiliary Guest House was the answer to their prayers when they needed rest. Now, the Guest House is in need of some assistance as well. This wonderful facility is funded primarily through charitable gifts, and these funds are running low. After you read the Van Zuidams’ story, please consider sending a donation to The Carle Development Foundation in support of the Carle Auxiliary Guest House.

Erica had bacterial meningitis. She was still conscious when Tim and Jan arrived and still worried about her finals. But within minutes, Tim and Jan were asked to leave the room so the doctors could get to work.

While they can’t explain why Erica got so sick, Tim and Jan do know there are reasons why so many things went right. Bringing Erica to Carle, the region’s only Level I Trauma Center, was probably the first and most important thing that went right. Carle’s physicians and staff saved Erica’s life. Tim and Jan believe that if Erica had gotten sick while she was at home, she might not be alive today. But because Carle is in a college town, the doctors had seen bacterial meningitis before and knew exactly what to do.

Given Erica’s diagnosis, Tim and Jan soon realized they wouldn’t be heading home for quite some time. Going to a hotel miles or even blocks away was never an option in their minds. Tim and Jan didn’t want to leave Erica’s side. But when a social worker suggested they get some rest, they agreed. She recommended the Guest House.

The Carle Auxiliary Guest House was a big deal for the Van Zuidams. Tim says that if he ever designed a hospital, he’d have as many rooms for patients’ families as for patients. So the fact that Carle provided lodging for patients’ families was a pleasant surprise. The Guest House was a wonderful place for Tim and Jan to get away without leaving the medical campus. It was a safe place—a nice, quiet escape from the tense and often chaotic atmosphere of Erica’s hospital room.

Built by The Carle Foundation and located just across the street from the hospital, the Guest House serves more than 1,000 guests each year. The house features 12 bedrooms with private baths, a comfortable living room, education room, full kitchen, dining room, laundry facilities and direct phone lines within the Carle system. There was always someone there to welcome the Van Zuidams, care for them and guide them. The Guest House is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by paid staff and Auxiliary members.

Aside from a peaceful and comfortable environment, the Guest House provides many of the little things a family needs. This includes breakfast every morning and a fully stocked pantry for other meals and snacks. Plus, each guest room has necessities like shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream and razors—all those items you don’t think to grab as you’re running out the door.

But the most impressive feature of the Guest House is the fact that guests stay for free.

It costs more than $100,000 every year to cover all the house expenses, from salaries to amenities to upkeep. Without charitable dollars, none of this would be possible.

Erica stayed at Carle for a month and a half. During that time, the Guest House provided the Van Zuidam family with the much-needed rest they could not get at the hospital. At the Guest House, there were no TVs blaring and no intercoms—just a great atmosphere. It truly was a home-away-from-home for their family.

When Erica was transferred to another facility closer to their home in Lansing, Illinois, the Van Zuidams appreciated even more how wonderful Carle and its Guest House had been to them.

Since leaving Carle, Erica’s had both of her hands and feet amputated due to damage caused by her illness. Today, Erica’s busy with physical therapy, learning how to use her new prosthetics and preparing to return this fall to the University of Illinois where she’ll continue pursuing degrees in kinesiology and occupational therapy.

Tim and Jan Van Zuidam give thanks every day for Carle Foundation Hospital, its physicians and staff, and the Carle Auxiliary Guest House. Please help keep this beautiful facility and invaluable service in place for others by making a donation to the Carle Foundation Hospital Auxiliary Guest House. Click on "Make A Gift Now" or contact The Carle Development Foundation at (217) 383-3021.