In June 2013, Haruko received shocking news. She was diagnosed with Stage 2 Estrogen Positive Breast Cancer. After the initial shock, Haruko underwent a single mastectomy and chemotherapy. She learned about the programs at Wellness House, attended a film screening about breast cancer, and later joined the Rush-Oak Park Breast Cancer Group.
Betty Lofton has always practiced gratitude, even before her journey with cancer. Her journey began in November 2019 after a routine mammogram led to Betty’s diagnosis with breast cancer. “I was getting a lot of information from my surgeon
and oncologist who believed my cancer was estrogen-driven,” says Betty. To learn more about the cancer experience, Betty participated in two Wellness House support groups at Rush-Oak Park. Betty also participated in Mile Square Health Center Programs Cooking for Cancer, Thriving and Surviving, Tai Chi, Total Body Stretch, Soul Chat and the Mindfulness Series.
“I remember it as if it were yesterday. Just three weeks after Kevin’s well-baby checkup, he began complaining of pain in his foot. At first, it only happened at night, but soon the frequency increased, and Kevin started having trouble climbing the stairs.
At the time, I was working 4–6 days a month as a nurse at the hospital. When I shared Kevin’s symptoms, some of my peers reassured me by saying their sons also complained of “growing pains.” Looking back, those words echo in my mind as I think of how quickly things changed for us.
And just like that, Hinsdale is back in the rhythm of life! While I’m probably the only person in town trying to hang on to the last fleeting days of the summer heat, I definitely feel the pull toward fall. With kids back in school, soccer nets up at the parks and “Friday Night Lights” festivities in full effect, we’re now officially looking at our calendars for what’s coming up on the social scene.
There may not be another fall event as highly anticipated as the Wellness House Ball. Set at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel in Chicago on Oct. 18, this is a night set to sparkle, as well-heeled guests arrive at a glistening venue of gold and jade accents. With the illuminated skyline as a backdrop, this event always draws the crème de la crème of Hinsdale society.
Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg bravely shared his journey with metastatic prostate cancer before his passing in July, serving as a powerful advocate for talking about the disease and getting screenings for early detection.
Dr. Russell Szmulewitz, professor of medicine and director of the genitourinary oncology program at UChicago Medicine’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, said such high-profile advocates for prostate health can destigmatize the topic for men reluctant to discuss sensitive health issues.
“These public-facing cases have opened up people’s eyes to the fact that this affects more than 300,000 men a year,” Szmulewitz said. “Even for those that aren’t affected by the illness, it makes it a little bit personal and legitimizes the struggle that (patients) face with their illness. They know that they’re not alone and that even famous people are battling this illness.”
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and Wellness House is hosting its annual Hot Topics in Prostate Cancer symposium on Saturday, Sept 27, where Szmulewitz will present updates in medical oncology as one of the participating physicians (see Page 19 for details).
In 1990, the Chicago Tribune reported on a groundbreaking study from UCLA showing that cancer patients who participated in structured support groups experienced more than emotional relief—they demonstrated measurable improvements in immune function and quality of life. Patients who attended weekly sessions learned relaxation techniques, shared their fears and coping strategies, and reported feeling less depressed and more resilient. Notably, the study suggested that psychosocial support might even influence survival outcomes, with patients in support groups living significantly longer than those who received only medical care (Chicago Tribune, October 26, 1990).
I attended groups at Wellness House from 2012-2014 with others who were going through breast cancer treatments at different stages of their treatment. I was able to attend the make-up session which was so helpful as I lost all my facial hair. The facilitator of this program actually provided me with a private session as I was in and out of the hospital during my chemo and missed two of the group sessions. I appreciated that so much. I was given a free wig to cover my bald head – I brought my stylist with me since I really trusted her input – we had so much fun! I also attended many of the educational sessions that I felt were extremely valuable during that time of my life.
I attended the Wellness House Multiple Myeloma support group beginning in 2006 after my husband’s diagnosis. I had never heard of MM, and it seemed unbelievable that there was a support group right in my neighborhood – we lived in Oak Brook. Felt like divine intervention. My husband, Frank, had been in ill health for all of 2006. He had gone repeatedly to his doctor, who ran multiple blood tests and found nothing amiss. Frank had pneumonia twice, lost over 20 pounds, and was in constant pain. Something was very wrong. A friend recommended an MRI – not the doctor, mind you, but a friend in the healthcare field. The MRI showed that Frank was “full of cancer” – his bones looked like Swiss cheese. Knowing now what I know about this disease, all the symptoms suggested multiple myeloma.
Wellness House offered me so much more than exercise classes, cooking classes, support groups, and fun events. Through all of those offerings are each more amazing than the next, what it provided me with ( for which I am most grateful ) is a place that understands my experiences and needs and in the process of that understanding, enveloped me with so much warmth, care and love.
Diane Hruby was one of the people who had a shared vision for the creation of Wellness House. In the late 1980’s, Diane thought that surviving her ovarian cancer would be impossible. Then a friend and long-time cancer survivor, Stella Pauls, paid Diane a visit.
Sitting at her hospital bed, Stella talked Diane into facing the challenges of cancer and living to enjoy her two beautiful children. Diane had gone on to overcome cancer and savor the teenagers her children have grown to be.
All non-profits must maintain laser focus on excellent stewardship of donor dollars. Similarly, board members must bring forth resources to effectively fulfill the organization’s mission. In the end, what matters most to Wellness House is that talented, generous, passionate individuals get “bitten by the Wellness House bug” and jump in to do what they can in the service of people affected by cancer. This is exactly what happened to Bob Akers and Tim O’Day in the summer of 2009.
When we look at today’s Wellness House, it can be hard to imagine that 35 years ago, the organization did not exist except in a small group of community members’ imaginations. Those early dreamers believed profoundly in the need for this resource. They were not sure, however, that such an organization could ever be successfully created and sustained.