By Betty Schoenbaechler

Special To The Bulletin

ATLANTA--One might think a home for dying cancer patients would be a sad place, devoid of any signs of quality of life. But that is not the case at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home. In fact, quite the opposite is true.

It's a place where lives are valued, birthdays and anniversaries celebrated, and love flows freely from the Hawthorne Dominican sisters, staff and numerous volunteers, who provide free nursing care and comfort to those who are terminally ill with cancer.

Located next to Turner Field in downtown Atlanta, Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of seven free cancer homes operated by the sisters in the U.S. The Atlanta ministry began in 1939, providing comfort to people suffering from cancer regardless of their station in life or their religious affiliation. Rose Hawthorne, daughter of novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, founded the ministry in 1896 in New York.

The first thing visitors to Our Lady of Perpetual Help notice is a strong sense of peace and serenity both outside, in the beautiful gardens and walkways, and inside, where they are welcomed by a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and comfortable, homelike furnishings. Twenty-three patients, eight women and 15 men, currently live at the home which can serve as many as 48 people. Only one of the patients is Catholic.

"We are a home for incurable cancer patients who cannot afford care in another facility," said Sister Mary Florence Gilmore, OP, superior and director of nursing. "We try to keep everything as homelike as possible and make the patients very comfortable. There is no charge to the patients for the care they receive here."

"Our main goal is to let the patients know that they are loved and accepted for who and what they are," she said. "By the time they come to us, their lives are so disrupted, so torn apart, that first and foremost they need to know they are loved. We also do what we can to keep the patients comfortable and free of pain."

There are no IVs in the rooms; patients receive medications orally or with a patch. Each patient has a television if he or she wants to watch it and daily activities are planned to lift their spirits.

Patients are in bright spacious rooms with two or four beds, decorated with loving care by the sisters, the patients themselves and others. Windows look out on the gardens and the peaceful atmosphere contributes to their comfort as well.

"Most of the patients are in ward-like situations because we've found that they receive more stimulation when they are not isolated. Also, when they see how others are treated, they know that as their own illness progresses, they will receive the same type of care," said Sister Gilmore.

Dr. John M. Read III checks on the patients twice weekly and is always on call. Men are cared for in first-floor wards by male nurses and sisters. Women are on the second floor. The nine Hawthorne Dominicans care for patients on the women's floor and are always present throughout the building.

"Part of what works so well here is that sisters are assigned a ward and take care of the same patients for as long as they are with us. They develop a close, family-like relationship and the patients become very dependent on the sister who cares for them. Sisters learn their patients' likes, dislikes and special needs so they are able to individualize care," said Sister Gilmore.

A cheerful, no-nonsense administrator, Sister Gilmore was assigned to the Atlanta home a few months ago. She was previously to a Hawthorne Dominican facility in Massachusetts.

As she made her way down the corridor recently, Sister Gilmore stopped to see a few patients, check out a bingo game in progress and give a hug to a disoriented patient. She spoke with one woman who admitted she was uncomfortable when she first arrived a few weeks ago.

"I told my sons and that social worker at Grady (Hospital) that I did not want to go to any cancer home. I wanted to go to my home," the patient said. "Now I tell them, 'I have come home.' Lord have mercy, they are good to me here. I feel like I'm already in heaven."

Jayne Huybensz has visited her husband, Otto, every day since he was admitted six weeks ago.

"Words cannot tell how wonderful this place is. You just have to experience it for yourself," she said. "The sisters give so much love and kindness and that permeates through all of the staff. When you find a nursing staff that is this happy and so full of love, you will have good care."

Otto, who cannot talk but remains fully alert and aware of what is happening around him, was in a nursing home before coming to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home. "Because he couldn't talk, he was placed with Alzheimer's patients and became very frustrated," his wife said. "I am so grateful that he is now in such a peaceful environment."

Nurse Richard Ferrero, who has worked at the home for 12 years, said the biggest lesson he has learned from working with terminally ill patients is that death is not depressing.

"It's a natural experience that is also very peaceful and beautiful. I've found that most patients don't mind dying -- what they fear is the getting there."

Ferrero handles pain management for the male patients. Because the patients are terminally ill, the staff does not have to worry about them becoming addicted to the pain medication so they are able to keep them as comfortable as possible.

When he came for his job interview, Ferrero said he put his head in the door to see if he could detect an odor. He did not want to work in a place where there was a depressing or medicinal odor. There was none.

"We have very little turnover here. The sisters are very nice to everyone and this is a great job. In most hospitals, a nurse would have 14 to 15 patients to care for at one time. Here, the ratio is four to one so we can provide more quality and personal care," he said.

Activities Director Irene Wiggins plans weekday events to keep residents active and out of their beds.

"We play games they can do from a sitting position, like bingo, bowling, shuffleboard or horseshoes," she said. "As an incentive, we developed a coupon system. Patients receive coupons for their participation in activities that they can 'spend' on items for their grandchildren, spouse or themselves."

Wiggins has found that while some patients enjoy the activities, others need someone to talk to or to take them outside for walks.

"I don't try not to get attached to patients," she said. "It is bittersweet, no doubt about it, because we know we will lose them. But knowing you're giving them companionship makes it all worthwhile."

Mass is celebrated at 6:30 a.m. daily in the chapel for the sisters and anyone else who wants to attend. Father Richard Lopez is the resident chaplain and visits each patient daily. Residents are encouraged to invite their own pastors to visit them and conduct services in the chapel.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help is supported solely by donations and the fund-raising efforts of its 600-member auxiliary. The main fund-raising project is the Medical Supply Fund combined with the annual Champagne Luncheon in November.

For the first 30 years of its existence in Atlanta, Our Lady was housed in the former Hebrew Orphan's Home. In 1973 the old building was razed and the new home built. The Hawthorne Dominican sisters continue the work of Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, who left a privileged life to live and work in the poverty-stricken society of cancer sufferers in the slums of New York. She and art student Alice Huber started a ministry that became known as the Servants of Relief for Incurable Cancer. They joined the Third Order of St. Dominic so their ministry could continue.

One hundred years later, their legacy is seven fully-equipped homes including the motherhouse, Rosary Hill Home in Hawthorne, N.Y.; St. Rose's Home in New York; Sacred Heart Home in Philadelphia; Rose Hawthorne Home in Fall River, Mass.; Our Lady of Good Counsel Home in St. Paul, Minn.; Holy Family Home in Cleveland and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home in Atlanta.

"We are here to help people die with dignity and in peace in a homelike environment," Sister Gilmore said.