Christopher's Haven charity marks special anniversary

Tue Oct 30, 2007, 11:08 PM EDT

"We can be a normal family here. The kids can play as they should, not keep quiet all the time."

"We would say, ‘OK, lets go home,’ meaning back to the apartment. It did feel like we were home. Just what Christopher’s Haven is trying to accomplish."

These are the voices of parents who have stayed at Christopher’s Haven.

Christopher’s Haven, a home away from home for pediatric cancer patients and their families, celebrated its one year anniversary of hosting families in September 2007.

Founded in 2001, the nonprofit organization operates a pair of inviting two-bedroom apartments at Charles River Park in Boston, adjacent to Mass. General Hospital, where the children receive proton radiation therapy that is available at only three hospitals in the U.S.

Founder Dan Olsen, a Sudbury native, is a three-time cancer survivor who saw firsthand the difficulty of finding affordable, family friendly housing for treatment stays that average six to eight weeks of daily outpatient visits.

To date, 12 families have received the hospitality and special touches of an extended group of Christopher’s Haven volunteers who supply incoming families with fresh food and bath supplies, and a personal gift for the child and siblings. The children have ranged in age from 16 months to 16 years old and have come from as far away as Oregon and Colorado and as near as Connecticut and Long Island.

The young ones are often accompanied by their siblings. The alternative would likely be a single hotel bedroom at $100-plus per night.

At any given time there is an average of six families who could use housing. The long-term goal is to acquire a property nearby the hospital to house multiple families with common kitchen and living spaces.

Support for Christopher’s Haven continues to grow. Jordan’s Furniture supplied the furniture for both apartments. Recently, Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis launched "Hits For Kids," a foundation for helping small and medium charities who help kids, and named Christopher’s Haven one of it priority charities.

Christopher’s Haven is supported by individual, corporate and foundation donors. The number of Kids Helping Kids for Christopher’s Haven continues to grow in wonderful and creative ways. Scout troops have made donations and children have held bake sales. Meghan and Amanda Berger donated the proceeds from their Haunted House to Christopher’s Haven.

A major fundraiser will be held in Boston on Saturday, Nov. 10. Co-chaired by Tanya Broadbent and Jamie Dorsey of Sudbury and with a local committee, the evening will honor Dr. Howard Weinstein, chief of pediatric hematology and oncology at Mass. General and will feature a live and silent auction with great getaways, Major League sports items and more. Please join us if you can. For more information visit "www.christophershaven.org"

Reprinted from Wicked Local Wayland, 33 New York Ave., Framingham, MA 01701, Framingham