Photo By Tech. Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal | Anita Clingerman, center, Tripler Fisher House manager, poses with U.S. Army Col....... read more read more
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TRIPLER ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, Hawaii -- Service members and their families can face challenges unique to a military lifestyle but sometimes an unexpected turn of events can add additional tests.
For Guam resident Helen Chaco and her family, that turn started in 2014 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Due to the cost of moving to Hawaii to get treatment, Helen and her family were discouraged but thanks to the Tripler Army Medical Center Fisher House, she was able to receive support while undergoing oncology treatment.
The Fisher House Foundation is best known for its network of comfort homes where military and veteran’s families can stay at no cost while a loved one is receiving medical treatment at major military and VA medical facilities. The Tripler Fisher House is one of 65 Fisher Houses spread throughout the continental United States and can accommodate 19 families at any given time.
“It really helps financially,” Helen said. “This place being a home away from home is definitely a great setting. I wouldn’t be alive really if there was no Fisher House. I think that if we were renting a hotel at $3,000 dollars a month or paying a car rental I would probably just give up the fight and go home but the Fisher House is an awesome place to be, I’m very grateful for it.”
Helen’s husband, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ed Chaco, Guam Air National Guard, attributes the Tripler Fisher House for providing a comfortable place to live during Helen’s treatment process.
“It’s really dear to my heart,” Ed said. “The first thing that I actually experienced when we first came here was the immediate financial burden that was taken off of our shoulders. As you can imagine we’re in Hawaii and the cost of rentals are off the charts. It was really unsettling because I have kids back home on Guam and I take care of my wife here, so that was the first thing that [Fisher House] helped us with.”
The Tripler Fisher House made it easier for the Chaco family to tackle the financial challenges of moving from Guam to Hawaii but being able to meet other families going through similar trials is equally beneficial to Ed.
“This house is a house of healing,” Ed said. “There are people here with different types of ailments and injuries. Cancer patients can interact and get advice from the experiences that they’ve had and I think that’s one of the most beneficial things about being here.”
Ed believes that a part of the reason they were able to take advantage of what Fisher House has to offer so quickly was largely because of the Tripler Fisher House Manager, Anita Clingerman.
“Anita I would like to say is our angel,” Ed said. “She’s the right person for this position.”
The Chaco family is just one family that Clingerman and Tripler Fisher House employees and volunteers work to help and accommodate.
“When working here and knowing the families, you can’t help but be involved and be a part of the family,” Clingerman said. “This is a home away from home and my mission here is to make them feel at home and feel normal. Whenever they need anything my door is always open, I’m on 24/7 and am happy to help. I’m overwhelmed on what Fisher House does for our military families.”
According to the Fisher House official website Fisher house served more than 25,000 families and saved them more than $47 million in lodging cost, food and transportation in 2014.
For more information visit the Fisher House website at https://www.fisherhouse.org/about/.
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2015 14:45 |
| Story ID: | 178160 |
| Location: | TRIPLER ARMY MEDICAL CENTER, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 160 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Tripler Fisher House supports military family’s road to recovery, by TSgt Christopher Hubenthal, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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