Kathy’s House is prepared to open the doors of its new home next week.
The first guests will begin their stay at the new 30,600-square-foot hospital guest house on the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center campus on June 7.
The new facility is opening just under a year after the organization broke ground for the project on June 30, 2020. The project itself dates back several years and was jumpstarted when Froedtert Hospital provided the lead pledge of $6 million in 2017.
The organization is about $500,000 away from its $12 million campaign goal to support the new building, said Patty Metropulos, president and chief executive officer of Kathy’s House
The new Kathy’s House, located immediately southwest of Froedtert’s Cancer Center, doubles the organization’s capacity from its previous home. The nonprofit guest house was operating at capacity in its former building at N. 103rd St. for the past several years.
The new facility has 36 guest rooms, including suites that are reserved for patients and caregivers who need to stay for multiple weeks. The organization expects to serve up to 3,000 guests annually.
The nonprofit hospital guest house serves out-of-town patients and their families who need to stay in Milwaukee for medical care. Most of the patients served by Kathy’s House are cancer patients, and more than 70% live in Wisconsin.
“We’re so thrilled this day is finally here,” Metropulos said. “The additional rooms and space in the new building will enable us to serve more people, and the location on the medical center campus will make such a difference for our guests.”
Metropulos said she expects about 40 guests within the coming weeks.
The new, two-story building also includes some updated features, including a separate wing for patients with compromised immune systems and a patient services room where basic clinical services such as blood draws, central line care and video telehealth visits can be provided by contracted health care providers. The house also has a communal kitchen, dining area, library, fireplace, meditation room, family room, fitness room, laundry facilities, courtyard, patio and walking trail.
The roof features a 77-kilowatt solar array of about 200 panels, which is expected to provide about 40% of the building’s electricity needs.
“Kathy’s House vision is to be the national model for hospital guest houses,” said Metropulos.
