Relief Amid the Worries: Stanford Teachers Find Respite at Gift of Life Through Medical Crisis

As Andrew and Gretchen Durand left Gift of Life Housing with their baby boy, Eamon, they were grateful for the hospitality and ready to be back home in Stanford.

Benefis Foundation’s Gift of Life Housing was a place of respite while Eamon, who arrived two months early at 2 pounds, 11 ounces, grew stronger in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

A few months later, the Durands were shell-shocked settling back in Gift of Life for Gretchen’s cancer treatment.

Gretchen’s diagnosis so soon after Eamon’s premature birth “was like getting punched in the gut,” Andrew said.

“We are teachers in rural Montana. We can’t afford to drive back and forth every day. We would have had to choose a day to see our son,” he said. “Staying here for a week while my wife was recovering from cancer, we couldn’t have afforded that either.”

For thousands of people like the Durands from across rural Montana and beyond, Gift of Life has meant more time with their fragile babies in the NICU and a chance to rest after cancer treatment before making the drive home.

Because of donor generosity, patients and their support people can stay for free during treatment away from home.

As he thought back to Eamon’s early arrival, Andrew remembered seeing his newborn son hooked up to lifesaving equipment in the NICU and his wife a floor apart hooked up to other equipment after giving birth.

“I was just going back and forth trying to make sure everyone was OK,” he said.

After Gretchen recovered from giving birth, they saved their leave for when Eamon returned home. Gretchen coped by streaming the NicView baby monitor pointed at her son into her classroom. She and Andrew stayed at Gift of Life on weekends to be with Eamon.

“Then it was the stress of traveling every weekend, but having the space at Gift of Life meant we could put cereal and stuff in the refrigerator instead of eating out,” Andrew said. “It took care of a lot of practical things we didn’t have to worry about, which matters a lot when you have more important things to worry about.”

More than 4,800 patients have found ease and peace through Gift of Life since its founding in 1992. For the next thousands to use the program, we are asking donors to sponsor the refurbishment of the much-loved and well-used Gift of Life home on Benefis West Campus.

Gift of Life makes treatment bearable and brings families together when they need each other the most. Donors have kept the faith and kept the lights on through three decades, and we hope they will help ensure the program’s continued success for those going through medical challenges.

“I don’t know if you could find a better cause than Gift of Life because it keeps families together during difficult times when
they couldn’t otherwise afford it,” Andrew said.

Donors are the reason Gift of Life can offer free lodging. With your support, we will refurbish the West Campus house for the next patients who need a place to stay during cancer treatments and while caring for a NICU baby. You can donate online here.