Johansons inspired to give for Terry’s House
 |
| Richard and Larry Johanson tour Community Regional Medical Center and enjoy the view from the rooftop helipad. |
“I saw families that had no where to stay when they had loved ones in the trauma unit for quite some time,” Johanson said.
Larry and his wife Patti gifted $100,000 to help build Terry’s House, a convenient and affordable lodging facility for families with loved ones receiving critical care at Community Regional.
“When I walked out of there, I realized how critical it was to get Terry’s House done,” he said.
Community Regional is home to the only burn and Level 1 trauma centers between Los Angeles and Sacramento. While patients receive critical care at the hospital, there is a need to keep the families of patients comfortable and strong while their loved ones heal.
“We walk through our waiting rooms on any given day, and we see families sleeping in the waiting room, camping out in our waiting rooms,” said Lynn Bennink, Community Regional’s trauma director.
“It just breaks your heart to see these families that don’t want to leave their loved one’s side, but really don’t have any place to go.”
Terry’s House will be a 17,000-square-foot, two-story home within walking distance of Community Regional, on the corner of Fresno and R streets. It will feature 20 guest rooms with private baths, in-house refrigerators, a kitchen and dining, activity, lounge and sitting areas. It will also have a laundry facility, large gathering area, family resource center, children’s activity room, exercise room and healing garden. The Johansons’ gift will go towards building this “home-away-from-home.”
The construction of Terry’s House is dependent on private gifts and contributions. Community Medical Foundation is seeking $1 million to reach the $5 million goal in order to build the facility.
“If everybody can give whatever they can give to Terry’s House,” Johanson said, “it doesn’t matter what the pledge is, pledge something.”
To learn more about Terry’s House or how you can make a difference, log on to TerrysHouseFresno.com.
This story was reported by Jennifer Avila-Allen. She can be reached at javila@communitymedical.org.