Conversations with Kathy's House: Recent Episodes
Gerry Steele is a Kathy’s House ally and healthcare communication professional. For more than a decade, she's had the privilege to share the experiences of individuals going through life-changing medical journeys and learn from their courage and wisdom.
Welcome to Conversations with Kathy’s House where we’ll explore how to support families who are experiencing personal illness or the serious illness of a loved one - one of life’s most stressful situations. Learn more at kathys-house.org.
Kathy's House is celebrating its 25th Anniversary!
The story starts with heartbreak: Kathy Vogel Kuettner passed away from cancer. Just one year later, her parents, Judy and Dick Vogel, turned their grief into something extraordinary — Kathy's House, a hospital guest house offering a safe, affordable "home away from home" for people traveling for medical care.
Dick and Judy were unstoppable. What they built has become a legacy of home, heart, and hope for 25 years now.
In this episode, you'll hear from friends, family, and even a former guest — each sharing what Kathy's House has meant to them.
Kathy’s House is the Milwaukee area’s only hospital guest house that accommodates guests of any age receiving care at any area hospital. More than 75% of our guests cannot afford the full cost of their stay at Kathy’s House – and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Your gift to Kathy’s House allows families to access not only the extraordinary care available at area hospitals, but also the resources and caring support they need during an extraordinary time.
If you have questions about how your gift directly benefits patients and guests facing a serious medical crisis, please email keeganf@kathys-house.org.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Susan Vogel, Kathy's sister, shares memories of their life together and Kathy's legacy today.
Kathy’s House is the Milwaukee area’s only hospital guest house that accommodates guests of any age receiving care at any area hospital. More than 75% of our guests cannot afford the full cost of their stay at Kathy’s House – and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Your gift to Kathy’s House allows families to access not only the extraordinary care available at area hospitals, but also the resources and caring support they need during an extraordinary time.
If you have questions about how your gift directly benefits patients and guests facing a serious medical crisis, please email keeganf@kathys-house.org.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Brian and Estelle Hermes join us from Michigan. Brian’s been receiving care in Milwaukee for pancreatic cancer since 2009 and stayed at Kathy’s House quite a number of times. In fact, Brian’s stayed at the “old” Kathy’s House and current Kathy’s House.
Their unique perspective offers the best evidence of how important Kathy's House is to our community.
Kathy’s House is the Milwaukee area’s only hospital guest house that accommodates guests of any age receiving care at any area hospital. More than 75% of our guests cannot afford the full cost of their stay at Kathy’s House – and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Your gift to Kathy’s House allows families to access not only the extraordinary care available at area hospitals, but also the resources and caring support they need during an extraordinary time.
If you have questions about how your gift directly benefits patients and guests facing a serious medical crisis, please email keeganf@kathys-house.org.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Did you know that children find comfort at Kathy’s House? A family doesn’t stop “being” just because parents are away seeking life-saving care. In fact, the love of a child is a beautiful source of social and emotional support during such challenging times, making Kathy’s House an essential haven for families.
I recently had the joy of chatting with Jessi and Anthony, along with their four wonderful children 💖
Kathy’s House is the Milwaukee area’s only hospital guest house that accommodates guests of any age receiving care at any area hospital. More than 75% of our guests cannot afford the full cost of their stay at Kathy’s House – and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Your gift to Kathy’s House allows families to access not only the extraordinary care available at area hospitals, but also the resources and caring support they need during an extraordinary time.
If you have questions about how your gift directly benefits patients and guests facing a serious medical crisis, please email President & CEO Kim Lamansky.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Kathy's House staff and volunteers read thank you letters from past guests reminding us of the importance of our mission.
Kathy’s House exists because of the generosity of its donors and ongoing supporters
Most of us have been touched by cancer, traumatic accidents or serious illness. The uncertainty and cost can trigger justifiable anxiety for any patient. Imagine if you also needed to leave home and travel to access life-saving care. More than 58% of guests say that Kathy’s House made it possible for them to access care.
Kathy’s House is the Milwaukee area’s only hospital guest house that accommodates guests of any age receiving care at any area hospital. More than 75% of our guests cannot afford the full cost of their stay at Kathy’s House – and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Your gift to Kathy’s House allows families to access not only the extraordinary care available at area hospitals, but also the resources and caring support they need during an extraordinary time.
If you have questions about how your gift directly benefits patients and guests facing a serious medical crisis, please email President & CEO Kim Lamansky.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
David and Melissa Kelly traveled from Timonium, Maryland, to Kathy's House and the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network after Melissa was diagnosed with a severely damaged pancreas. With world-class healthcare in their Maryland backyard, they don't regret the decision. What certainly was, and still remains at times, very difficult, their journey was made better by the support of Kathy's House.
Dan and Nancy Pollack were guests at Kathy's House when Nancy was treated for pancreatic cancer. They found that by opening up and sharing with and learning from others, their "new normal" was less daunting, less lonely. Dan and Nancy turned that support from those around them into supporting Kathy's House.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
What does it take to provide a world-class experience for the guests at Kathy's House? It takes a lean and mighty staff, it takes committed volunteers and it takes all of our donors. Today we're hearing first hand from staff about their work, their commitment and the joy they receive from guests at Kathy's House.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Cindy Bielefeldt finds balance, joy and community in creating art. So much so, that when she found herself at Kathy’s House for 6 weeks while her husband was receiving treatment she started a watercolor painting class for other guests.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Russel “Rusty” Konkol, is 70 years old, was born and raised in Amherst Junction, WI, population 377. He and his wife Linda, a retired nurse, raised 5 boys and a girl on the family homestead. Their sons all grew up to be pharmacists. Their daughter became a nurse.
Rusty was diagnosed with advanced melanoma in May 2024
The Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Network began offering a new treatment to patients with advanced melanoma just six months ago called TILS Therapy.
Rusty is the first person in Wisconsin to receive that treatment.
That’s what brought them to Kathy’s House. Rusty and Linda share a little about their family, hobbies, their journey to Milwaukee and, their stay at Kathy’s House and I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Follow us at kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
Sheila and Gerald, guests at Kathy's House, wanted to find a way to build community during their stay. They came up with bingo night, a monthly event to bring guests together to just have fun.
"I just wanted everyone to have a happy and memorable moment." says Sheila.
On a chilly December night, I chat with Sheila and Gerald, who arrived in August. I also play bingo with Tina, another guest, who explains why she and her husband are at Kathy's House. After bingo ends, I wrap up my visit with a tally of bingo tales with Sheila.
Follow us at _kathyshouse on X; kathyshousemilwaukee on Instagram, Kathy's House on Facebook, check our website https://kathys-house.org/ or email us at mail@kathys-house.org.
This year alone, thanks to our donors, we have supported 1,366 families. Each guest who stays with us experiences firsthand the wave of kindness and comfort from volunteers, staff and most importantly—from each other. So with the holidays upon us, Kathy’s House would like to share our gratitude with listeners. Here’s just some of the notes we’ve received from guests read by Kathy’s House staff and volunteers.
Visit Kathy's House to learn more.
Renee Stadler, a Kathy's House volunteer for sixteen years, shares her experiences as a volunteer and a caregiver. While volunteering, she worked as a respiratory therapist, as a teacher of the next generation of therapists, and raised two daughters.
If you'd like to learn more about how to volunteer at Kathy's House, visit, https://kathys-house.org/help/volunteer/
Alyssa, Jackie, Jen and Dr. Dan Heffez, neurosurgeon with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, join us on the podcast. The same diagnosis brought them to Milwaukee for brain surgery at three separate times. Chiari Malformations are lower brain abnormalities that can affect a person is any number of ways, from headaches to dizziness, weakness, anxiety and depression. They compare stories, provide insight into their medical odysseys, chat with their doc (no medical questions!) and remind us all of the importance of support and never giving up. The gals also recommend Chiari Malformation Support Group on Facebook.
This past March, the Kathy’s House board of directors announced that Kim Lamansky joined the organization as its new President & CEO. Lamansky brings a wealth of experience and is excited to partner with the staff, board of directors, donors, and many volunteers to advance the organization’s mission of providing affordable lodging and supportive services for individuals and families who must travel to Milwaukee for critical medical care.
Cascading encouragement are the words Tom and Carol Titzkowski use to describe the feeling at Kathy's House. They join us from their home in Combined Locks, located about 30 minutes south of Green Bay, Wisconsin. When Tom’s treatment plan for cancer required him to stay in Milwaukee for 100 days, he and his wife looked at all of their options. One look at Kathy’s House and they knew they were home.
Security may be defined by the state of being free from danger or threat, but we all know it’s so much more than that – especially at Kathy’s House. Louise Kidd, security officer at Kathy’s House, offers us a peek at her responsibilities and the many moments of joy she feels in her role.
Don and Marsha Wilkinson were guests of Kathys House five years ago. To celebrate the milestone, and in gratitude of Kathy’s House, they came back with their daughter Cindy and granddaughter Jenny, to visit and pay it forward by making dinner for the guests. In this episode we meet Marie, director of volunteer services, who takes the family on a tour. After dinner’s served, I sit down with Don and Marsha to talk to them about their stay at Kathy’s House.
Karla Peyreau made plans to travel to Milwaukee for cancer care and arrived at Kathy’s House with her brother Mark in June 2023. Despite the unusual journey, moments into her tour, she knew she had landed in the right place.
Staff and volunteers share notes of thanks from former Kathy's House guests. Every guest confronts a unique diagnosis. Their stories are often extraordinary. We are honored to be a part of their journey and to share their stories and gratitude.
Diane and Tom Arenberg join us from their home in New Mexico to share their experience at Kathy's House, from cooking to painting and watching the sun set from the porch.
Peter Ackell joins us from Appleton, Wisconsin, to talk about his stays at Kathy's House. As a recently retired physician, he brings the unique perspective of his journey with cancer.
Our 2023 Founders Award Winner and Past Board President Marilyn Thiet, explains how her initial involvement with Kathy's House evolved as she stewarded the organization through its most notable transformation. Marilyn led the board through the process of evaluating, envisioning, and enacting the plan for a new Kathy's House, which opened in 2021. Hear advice from this beacon of servant leadership about how and why to get involved wherever you feel passionate.
Hollie Mealy started The Right Relief, a nonprofit organization that brings relief to caregivers in the form of home-cooked meals and other doses of support. In only a few short years, she's delivered about 1,000 "belly hugs" to Kathy's House guests!
Receiving a life saving bone marrow transplant usually means having to be hospitalized for months. For a few fortunate enough to live within 30 minutes of a major cancer center, bone marrow transplants can sometimes be performed on an outpatient basis, meaning a person can go home each night to their own bed, their family, their pets, their favorite cozy chair, in their own backyard.
Because of Kathy's House, this option is now within reach for many more people who don't live close to their cancer care. Tammy, along with her husband Al, share their experience as guests at Kathy's House while she received an "outpatient" bone marrow transplant at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center.
Dr. Nirav Shah is an oncologist with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Network. He specializes in treating individuals with blood cancers who often require complex long-term hospitalization. It's not uncommon for his patients to be treated and carefully monitored in the hospital for weeks or months. Nearly half of the patients who receive blood and bone marrow transplants treated at the Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network travel hours from home to get care. For some of those individuals, Kathy's House makes it possible to receive treatment as an outpatient.
Natalie McAndrew, RN, and Ellie Englebrecht join us to talk about the bone marrow transplant caregiver’s support group they’re offering at Kathy’s House. When the doses of chemotherapy or radiation needed to cure a cancer are so high that a person's bone marrow stem cells will be permanently damaged or destroyed by the treatment, a bone marrow transplant may be needed. The journey is long and unique for these individuals and their loved ones. Last year, at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Network in Milwaukee alone, more than 300 people received bone marrow transplants – and many were guests at Kathy’s House.
Denis and Cathy VandenHeuvel, from De Pere, Wisconsin, and recent guests of Kathy’s House, sat down to share their thoughts about their time there. They spend 6 weeks at Kathy’s House in 2022 while Denis underwent treatment for a rare cancer. Cathy, who has a podcast of her own, The Caregiver Cup, talks about how Kathy’s House supports caregivers in so many special ways.
Before Kim Maclin, RN, became the Director of Lab & Infusion Services with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Network, she was a nurse caring for cancer patients at Froedtert Hospital. One of the many individuals she cared for was Kathy Vogel Kuettner
It was in Kathy's honor that her family founded Kathy's House. Kim shares her recollections of her time with Kathy, along with observations about how cancer impacts individuals with cancer - and their families - physically, emotionally and financially.
Dr. Malika Siker, is a radiation oncologist with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Network, associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and serves on the board at Kathy's House. Dr. Siker explains that cancer doesn't discriminate and talks about how Kathy's House bridges health care inequities by making world-class specialized cancer care available to anyone in need.
Lorraine Kofler has been a volunteer at Kathy's House for more than a decade. She explains why her time with guests and their caregivers is both memorable and rewarding. Because many of our volunteers serve guests directly, they have a unique opportunity to connect. Often, a volunteer is the first voice guests hear on the phone and the first face greeting them at the door. Learn more about how to volunteer.
Matt traveled from Naples, Florida to Wisconsin in February, 2022, to visit family and friends, attend a funeral and play hockey with his buddies. What started out as a vacation turned into a diagnosis of leukemia, a six-week hospital stay, and a bone marrow transplant to save his life. Kathy's House became his home away from home where he found support, safety and comfort in between hospital stays and countless clinic appointments.
Welcome listeners! Conversations with Kathy's House is all about the many facets of how we support a loved one (and ourselves) through a serious illness when care takes us far from home. Learn more at https://kathys-house.org/
Patty Metropulos, President & CEO of Kathy's House, gives us a history lesson on how Kathy's House came to be 22 years ago and the why it's so important to individuals and their loved ones who travel miles and miles for the right healthcare. She also shares a mission moment - connecting us to the people who benefit from a hospital guest house.