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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. 

In 2016 I began my journey being diagnosed with a rare form of gynecological cancer that only 2 in a million get. I was told about the Wellness house by my oncologist and decided to give it a try.

For the last 15 years, Elaine Adams has been volunteering at Wellness House in Hinsdale. On Wednesdays, she works the front desk. On Mondays and Thursdays, she helps women experiencing hair loss from cancer treatment find the right wig. Each fitting is unique:

Join us June 22 for Hot Topics in Breast Cancer. Learn about the latest in updates and treatment from top oncologists, surgeons and healthcare professionals in the Chicagoland area.