When Bert Lunnon was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, he and his wife Jean were met with an additional challenge: having to travel two hours each way to get to their nearest cancer centre for treatment. They needed a place to stay close by, and Bert was grateful to find A Home Away from Home at a Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) lodge.  

Thanks to the support of people like you, the lodge provides a welcoming home for patients and their families who need a comfortable place to live during cancer treatment.

“It’s like home, only better,” says Bert.

While many people who stay at the lodge love the well-appointed, clean rooms, it is often the supportive and family-like atmosphere that guests appreciate most. Something as simple as a cup of tea or a game of cards with other guests or lodge staff can offer invaluable support and friendship during a challenging time.

“The people who work there are so considerate and helpful,” Bert adds. “The cooks, Adam and Joe, did a particularly good job of preparing amazing meals and taking great care of everyone.”

Adam knows that when most guests come to the lodge, they don’t know what to expect – so he and Joe like to go the extra mile to help them feel at home.

“No one wants to arrive,” Adam says, “but we try to make them feel so happy every day that when they leave, they feel like they want to come back.”

Bert agrees that his stay at the lodge was more than just a place to sleep – it truly was A Home Away from Home.

The CCS lodges, which you make possible, offer a whole new support system for people like Bert to lean on. Thanks to you, last year we welcomed more than 9,400 guests to our lodges, providing a caring and supportive environment for those in treatment away from home.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay during my treatment,” says Bert.