A Home Away from Home: The Fisher House Program

The Fisher House Program is a private-public venture that provides for the construction and upkeep of homes near military medical centers. The homes provide accommodations for the families of military personnel or veterans who are being treated at a nearby medical center or veterans hospital. The families stay at the Fisher House at no cost as the Fisher House Foundation pays all fees. In addition to the beautiful atmosphere of these homes with their contemporary decor and many wonderful amenities, there is constant emotional support for the families, by others staying in the house as well as the people associated with running the homes.

The Fisher House project was the brainchild of Mrs. Pauline Trost, wife of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Carlisle Trust. Seeing the many families of military personnel struggle with the cost and accessibility of adequate accommodations when trying to be with a loved one during a medical crisis, Mrs. Trost presented the idea of to Zachary Fisher. Mr. Fisher was a self-made real estate businessman who, due to his success, was able to be extremely philanthropic to many causes, but was especially generous to men and women of the military. Mr. Fisher was unable to serve in the military due to a leg injury, but used his professional knowledge and experience in the construction industry to help the U.S. Coastal Service with the construction of fortification for U.S. coastlines during the World War II. His devotion to the military and the personnel that serve is demonstrated by his many generous efforts.

In 1990, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher committed $20,000,000 to begin the Fisher House Program. Currently there are 37 Fisher Houses that operate at military base medical centers and Veteran Affairs health facilities across the country with 4 now under construction. Since the program has begun, over 110,000 families have stayed at the various Fisher Houses saving families more than $10,000,000 in lodging, transportation and food costs.

The houses themselves range from about 5,000 to 16,000 square feet and are designed for 8 to 21 suites. Each house can accommodate between 16 and 42 family members. A Fisher House is a residential facility and does not provide medical, hospice or counseling care on site. The homes are contemporary with a common kitchen area, with a large dining room, living room with library and laundry facilities. The grounds are well kept and the atmosphere is warm and inviting. Safety, security and privacy are important, so extra measures are put into place to insure that the families can have minimal concerns except for the health and well being of their loved one.

However, the Fisher House provides so much more than a beautiful living environment. It provides peace, solace, hope and comfort for the families that share difficult times in their lives. In 2001, when my mother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, her surgery was scheduled at the Albany Medical Center in New York. This hospital in conjunction with the Stratton VA Medical Center utilizes the Fisher House for families that have patients in either of the hospitals. My mother's surgery went well, but the complications were endless. What was supposed to be a 10 day hospital stay lasted almost 7 weeks. One of the many positive experiences that we had was our stay at the Fisher House. There was genie care and concern for all of the families and what they were going through. We helped each other. What brought us together as strangers in a house, left us as friends in a home. We celebrated the health victories and hugged when families were happily leaving, but also cried and mourned with our house mates when a family member lost whatever battle they were fighting. This house was our home away from home. While we were glad to leave Albany and the difficult period in our lives behind, we have never forgotten the generosity, hospitality and the wonderful people we met in the Fisher House.

The legacy of the Fisher House is one that will continue for years to come. The homes were built not only from the financial strength and commitment of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, but also from their dream of helping those who serve our country. This dream continues and so will the comfort and peace these homes bring to so many.