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Cancer Survivor Turns Struggle Into Strength

    It was Valentine’s Day sixyears ago, and Hinsdale’s BobKlinger had just recovered from prostate cancer surgery. He eagerly anticipated his first post-op outing: Wellness House’s annual Valentine’s couples dinner. Mother Nature had another agenda. “It was a blizzard, so they called all the couples and said, ‘We might cancel the event,” Klinger recounted. “I told them, ‘I will crawl there in the blizzard because I need this.’ They said, ‘OK, well, I guess we’ll have it.’ That’s how much I needed (Wellness House’s) support at that time.” Klinger will continue his practice of returning the favor by participating in this year’s Walk for Wellness fundraiser on Sunday, May 7.

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      For much of the world, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For Wellness House and participants like Justine Kennedy, it’s every month.

      Kennedy, a resident of Countryside, was 35 when she received a diagnosis of Stage 2B breast cancer. It wasn’t until after surgery and radiation that Kennedy turned to Wellness House to help her through what is, for many women, the hardest part of recovery.

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      Light the Way’ for Wellness House and the year ahead – The Hinsdalean

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        Finding Hope Again – Light the Way Wellness House Ball

          For Jennifer Carmody Haunty and Jake Haunty, Wellness House represents far more than a place. It represents connection, community and the reminder that no one has to face cancer alone.Although their paths would eventually intersect, each first experienced cancer through profound personal loss.

          Jennifer’s journey began in June 2012 when her husband, Matt, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma at age 38. At the time, the couple had three young children, with a fourth on the way. After a year in remission, the family moved to Hinsdale in July 2013. One year later, Matt’s cancer returned, and he passed away while preparing for a stem-cell transplant.