Organization to build “home away from home” for young adult cancer patients

On Friday, Jan. 27, The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF) will break ground on the construction of the organization’s biggest project to date—building The UCF House. The UCF House will provide free housing and a supportive community for young adult cancer patients receiving life-saving treatment in Baltimore.

“With treatment protocols that require young adults to stay near hospitals for long periods of time, housing can be crippling financially and prevents some young adults from receiving treatment at top-notch Baltimore hospitals,” said Brock Yetso, President & CEO of the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. “Our organization exists to remove barriers and drive change—for years we’ve wanted to make this home away from home for young adult cancer patients and their families a reality, and now it is becoming one.”

A Video Conversation with Brock Yetso, CEO of The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults - Interviewed by Edwin Warfield

The average cost for lodging for a young adult to stay in Baltimore the 100 required days after receiving a bone transplant is a staggering $10,000. The UCF House will help mitigate these costs and provide crucial emotional support for young people going through cancer treatment.

The first development of its kind in the region, the UCF House will span the area of six row homes on E Madison St., just north of Johns Hopkins Hospital and a short distance to other downtown Baltimore cancer centers.

Visioning sessions with medical professionals, patients, and caregivers, and planning meetings with architects and builders led to the design of a unique, comfortable, supportive, and empowering space that will include eight family suites, a gym/wellness space, a relaxation space, resource library, and outdoor space in the forms of a backyard and a rooftop deck.

UCF partnered with East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI) to acquire the space with hopes of serving the unmet need of patients receiving treatment in the area. UCF also received the support of District 45 legislators, Senator Nathaniel J. McFadden and Delegate Cory V. McCray, to sponsor a bond bill requesting funds for the project.

The House will cost approximately $1 Million to build and open, and $200,000 to operate each year. In 2016, UCF embarked on a Capital Campaign to raise $3 Million with three priorities—to build the House and raise funds to operate it for the first three years, grow the organization’s endowment, and enhance existing programming for young adults and families impacted by cancer. So far, the organization has raised approximately $2.5 Million.

Now, at the start of the new year, the organization is poised to take the next big step in supporting young people in their fight against cancer with this groundbreaking and innovative new home.

“Young adult patients often age out of many other facilities or don’t find critical peer support at non-age specific facilities,” said Yetso. “The UCF House will create a community for these young adults that fosters peer and social support, decreases financial and other burdens, and encourages hope and healing.”

Construction on The UCF House is set to begin following the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Jan. 27. The House is slated to open in Fall 2017 and will serve 200+ families in need each year.

To learn more about how you can make an impact, please visit www.ulmancancerfund.org/ theucfhouse.

About the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults and their loved ones impacted by cancer. Founded in 1997, the Ulman Cancer Fund works at both the local and national level to ensure all young adults (age 15-39) impacted by cancer have a voice and the necessary resources to thrive. For more information about Ulman Cancer Fund, visit: ulmanfund.org.