I have to say that when we first visited the Gabriel House my spouse and I were reluctant about staying there! True, the place is beautiful, exceptionally immaculate, and the bedrooms are huge. Oh, did I mention the grounds? A park like setting with a beautiful lake.
It turned out the common areas, including the dinning room, kitchen, and sitting areas(inside and outside) were great!
It gave us the opportunity to meet and learn how others were dealing with and where they were in the transplant world.
I can not say enough about the people that work at the Gabriel House of Care.
They are a Blessing.
G Gladstone
This is a compassionate and well run NPO. My daughter and I stayed there briefly after my liver transplant. Housing near the hospital is expensive so the reasonable charge at Gabriel House helped a pocketbook which was taxed by all the expenses necessitated by a transplant (screenings, vaccinations, doctors fees, medications). We were there in December and the staff went out of their way to make it a festive place to be with decorations & charitable groups bringing in holiday meals for the residents. Plus, and perhaps most important, the support patients and caregivers receive from others who are going through the same experiences and emotions is priceless - where else but Gabriel House would this be available 24/7. The accommodations are lovely, as well.
Wonderful place to stay. When I finally get my transplant my husband and I will be staying with Gabriel House again.
It's great for people on a budget as well as people who can't hardly afford anything.
Staff are friendly and wonderful to each and every person. Kitchen is great and very well equipped to any palate. The rules for sanitizing are strict which is SO IMPORTANT for everyone.
We cannot say enough nice things about this place. Simply put, our stay was great and we look forward to staying there again.
The Gabriel House of Care was a refuge for my wife and myself as we went through one of the most difficult times in our lives. We are so thankful to the staff and residences for their love and support and for being there for us during the heart transplant process.
Jerry Hay
I was at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for a liver transplant in 2019. I learned of the Gabriel House while staying at the Marriott on the hospital grounds. I've nothing but praise for the staff and volunteers. I felt as though I was visiting family for the four months I was being treated. Rooms are huge and the 4 station kitchen was awesome. If you were bored it was your choice to be so. There are scheduled scheduled activities and outside businesses would come in and cook for everyone.
If you need to be at the Mayo Clinic and need to stay contact the House and see if they have room. Yes, there is a waiting list but people checked in and out on regular basis.
I'm grateful the Gabriel House was available to me and my caretakers.
Gabriel House was literally a God send for me. I desperately needed a place to recover from bone marrow transplant procedure, and it had to be near the Mayo clinic in Jacksonville Florida. All the hotels was cost prohibiting. The Gabriel House was a short walking distance from mayo and with free mayo shuttle service throughout the day. And praise the Lord it was more than affordable. The facility was super clean in a communal setup. It was a very perfect experience for me........ Anthony Davis Beck
I spent almost 3 months at Gabriel House after a Stem Cell Transplant in 2019. The facility was comfortable, clean, well managed, friendly and the staff was very friendly and supportive of all the guests and caregivers. I felt safe and guided during my time there. Being on the Mayo Clinic grounds made my trips to the clinic so easy as I could take the shuttle door to door and give my caregiver some much needed time off. I would highly recommend Gabriel House to anyone dealing with post transplant recovery at the Mayo Clinic.
This non-profit saved my life following a bone marrow transplant. It has a staff of volunteers who met all my needs with my safety in mind. They are so incredible!!!
This charity is awesome!!! The organization is exceptionally managed and the people who work here are entirely devoted to ensuring patient comfort and kindness. I didn’t know what to expect before I got here, the people, the facilities and the location has superseded any of my expectations. They are a great group of people.
The Gabriel House of Care became a home away from home becoming the best and safest place for us during my transplant, recovery, and the unfortunate daily changing events from COVID-19. The staff at Gabriel was friendly, helpful and went above and beyond to ensure the comfort of my husband caregiver during my time in the Mayo Hospital and Brooks Rehab Hospital. My surgery and recovery were difficult which give my husband the freedom to come early and stay late because of the short drive on campus to the Gabriel House and Mayo allowing caregiver into the hospital. My transfer to Brooks Rehab added more problems for the staff at the Gabriel House trying to stay open and provide rooms for new Mayo transplant patients. The professional Gabriel staff provide the ultimate and first-class proposals to my husband on me entering the Gabriel House or moving to a hotel on campus when dismissed from Brooks if not dismissed from the Mayo at the same time because of COVID-19. We were lucky I was dismissed from Brooks and Mayo the same day and we went home. I never got to the Gabriel house as planed but future Mayo appointments I hope to visit and when the virus is over. “Thank God for Gabriel House” and Thank you, Mrs. Valerie Callahan and office staff for giving the care and support to my husband during time he was there.
When my opportunity arose to participate in the Mayo Clinic’s living donor kidney program with my wife, we wanted to find an extremely convenient and trouble-free extended stay facility while in Jacksonville – a home away from home. After an extensive search, we chose the Gabriel House for it was collocated on the Mayo Clinic campus while meeting or exceeding all the criterion my wife and I were looking for.
The best part about the Gabriel House was that other extended stay quests where also patients of Mayo Clinic and we felt very much at ease during our stay. The staff and volunteer workers were exceptional and our room accommodations were outstanding.
If one’s future requires a transplant at Mayo Clinic (Jacksonville) I would recommend that you look at the Gabriel House for you will not find a better facility during your initial recovery period.
Gabriel House of Care, is the place where you will always find the greatest compassion, the greatest love and help for others. I had the opportunity to live there for two months while receiving my radiotherapy treatments at the Mayo Clinic, and I can say without a doubt that thanks to the help of its staff members we feel like we are at home, we managed to form a nice family with other patients with different health problems and giving each other support, infinite thanks to Gabriel House, we will never forget them and we wish that they can continue for a long time with their great mission of sharing love and compassion. Pedro Gonzalez & Family
The Gabriel House gave me as a caregiver the compassion that I needed to get my husband through his transplant. My husband received a bone marrow transplant and we lived too far per the requirements of the hospital. The Gabriel House was affordable due to generous donations. I don't know what we would have done if this wasn't available to us. I had to quit my job and now my husband was on disabilty. I had many sleepless nights before we found out that the Gabriel House existed. There are so many patients, caregivers, staff members and volunteers at the house that have been in our shoes and the encouragement and love that you receive from the staff is incredible. It was our new home for over 4 months, our home away from home. The Gabriel House staff and all the patients and care givers are now like family to us. We keep in touch with many. We couldn't have asked for someplace to stay that would have made us feel safe and taken care of like we did at the Gabriel House. The groups of people that came and cooked for us 2 to 3xs a week gave us a break from our busy schedule having to going back and forth for appts. There was always can foods and breakfast cereals that people graciously donated that we could have if we couldn't get to the store, due to our busy appointment schedule. There was always gloves and wipes for all the care givers and patients to use, which is very important for the safety of the patients. There was also arts and crafts classes which were alot of fun and made you not think about what you were going through along with mindful classes which were very relaxing and a great way to clear your head. This house was a God sent. We can not say enough great things about it. We are grateful to the Gabriel House, staff and volunteers that made this unexpected venture in our lives that much easier.
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My wife has been at the Gabriel House since July 15th, while I was in the hospital getting my Bone Marrow Transplant. I came to the house August 10th. One of our fears before we heard about the house is where are we going to stay 100 days post transplant and how can we afford to stay at a hotel. Then we learned about the house and luckily there was availability for us to stay here. This house has helped us emotionally, financially and spiritually. The staff and volunteers here are incredible people, with the direction of staff, groups of people actually come and make dinners for us a few times a week. The Gabriel House also puts out can foods and other staple foods for all the guest to use. We have met so many people going through similar situations some worse than ours and some not. The house is our second home for the time we spend here. We will be forever grateful and thankful for all the people involved in our being able to stay here.
Stayed for two days after a kidney donation to my twin brother. Everyone there was just great. I would recommend anyone stay there if it fit their surgery situation.
I was lucky enough to have met one of the volunteers from the Gabriel House at an ice cream store last August. Her name is Rebecca Armstrong. She attentively listened to my story of my recent cancer diagnosis, and that I was a patient at Mayo Clinic. She then told us about Gabriel House and set up for us a tour for the next day. We fell in love with all of it! It definitely surprised my husband and I at how elegant yet inviting it is! We have stayed there twice; in October and in December during two of my four treatments. We loved the family feel of the facility, meeting other patients and their care givers. We appreciated the way the kitchen is set up. And the fact that it was so clean and orderly. It was easy to find dishes, utensils, pots and pans etc.
The entire house was clean and organized. The staff is second to none! When I need treatment again, I pray that they will have room for us! The photo I am sharing is me last December admiring the different Christmas trees that adorned the house. This particular one is a butterfly theme. I found out later it was the one Rebecca and the fellow volunteers from the Gabriel House decorated
This is a great place to be following your transplant. I was there for 90 days and it was a great location to get back and forth to the hospital. The staff was wonderful and always helpful. The rooms was spacious and very nice. It is your home away for home temporarily.
As a 5 year volunteer at the Gabriel House of Care, I see first hand the compassion and genuine caring that the staff provides to both the patients and the care givers. This is a wonderful place for healing and bonding with other families that can provide support and guidance.
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I have been volunteering at the Gabriel House of Care for over two years. As a newly retired resident of Florida, one of the first things I wanted to find in my new area was a place to volunteer. As soon as I walked into the house, and met with the great staff as well as other volunteers, I knew that this was the place for me! The staff is one of the most compassionate and caring group of folks that I have worked with, and the guests that stay at the Gabriel House rely on them for so many things. Everyone has a smile on their face, and I know that both the guests that are here for treatment, as well as their caregivers, find relief and are very grateful for everything, and everyone, involved with the Gabriel House of Care.
I am a volunteer at Gabriel House for 7 years or so and love my time there. It is a wonderful place for healing and support. During this pandemic I have missed my time there and look forward to my return.
When I found the Gabriel House of Care I thought it was simply going to be an affordable place to stay after my stem cell transplant. I had no idea that this house was going to become a home to me and my mother who was my caregiver. The employees, volunteers, and other guests became family to me. There was so much love, support, comfort, and just truly genuine care and consideration among everyone who walked through those doors. I could go on about the affordability of a place so close to the hospital, or the cleanliness of the house, which I and so many others needed during healing. But it was the people and the feeling of belonging, comfort, and joy that radiates through the home that make this house something so extraordinary. It was the employees who visited me in the hospital. It was the volunteers who came in to serve dinner to the guests. It was the guests being there for each other and supporting each other through hard days and being together to celebrate the good days. I was 25 when I first came to the Gabriel house. It has been 6 years since I first stayed and I am now 5 years cancer free. I owe a great part of my healing to the experience I had during my months living in this home, with these people who showed unwavering love and support every single day. I am grateful to them and the lifelong friendships that we have made.
My daughter and I have stayed at the Gabriel House twice . Four months in 2017 when my daughter got an LVAD because her heart was failing . We made lifelong friends and memories there of whom we still keep in touch with today . We came back December of 2019 when my daughter got her heart transplant and stayed another four months . We don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t been for Gabriel House and the staff and the people we met there . They have become family and we will forever be grateful for them and the house !
Gabriel House is a house that full love love, hope , compassion, and vital to the transplant and cancer patients that live there for months at a time. As a volunteer I feel fortunate to be involved through the Women’s Council, fundraising, and hands on through volunteering at the front desk and doing laundry. Gabriel House is a blessing to our community as well as globally.
I volunteer at Gabriel House of Care and cannot tell you how rewarding it is to be able to talk to; listen to; or just be there for the caregivers and patients that are away from their home, family and friends in order to obtain treatment. When I leave I have a feeling that I might have helped just ONE person who is having a bad day or is really ill. The care givers and patients are so grateful for the communities that help provide dinners and bring them in to lessen the burden on the caregivers due to the excessive stress they already are under.
It is a fantastic place, here you will find wonderful people who will help you to continue struggling in your new life opportunity, my husband received a double lung and heart transplant On 03/17/19 since then we have been staying here, now we are a great family with others, it is amazing how you get to connect with them and share your life experience, we have friends for the rest of our life’s , really they are now like my new family, it is a place that offers an excellent service to patients and family members at a very low cost, which helps to alleviate this emotional burden. God bless you!!!
I’m still miss this place... Thank you for everything!!!
When I started volunteering at the Gabriel House of Care a little over two years ago, I did't realize the magnitude of what it meant. Volunteering not only provides support for the House and the guests, but how it personally fulfills me every time I'm there. The staff is truly appreciative, and more importantly, how they lead through example with heartfelt compassion and respect.
Yes - the cost is manageable, the convenience and cleanliness are a real plus, the pleasant environment and comaraderie makes everyone feel at home, and the family style meals lessen some of the pressure. However, it's the total mindfulness approach to helping patients and their caregivers heal and feel as though there is some sense of normalcy. Patients and caregivers are a huge support to each other and lifelong friends are made here.
So I hope I can help at the GHOC - but actually it helps me more than I imagined.
I absolutely love volunteering at Gabriel House of Care! The guests are so wonderful and amazing what they are going through. It is nice to be able to give back in the community by helping out at this absolutely wonderful facility. They are very accomodating to everyone's schedule. The staff is wonderful, everyone is so friendly and positive. It is an amazing facility to have on the Mayo Campus for guests to be able to stay.
I have been volunteering at Gabriel House of care for over a year. I so enjoy helping to keep this wonderful place in tip top shape so that the “guest” are always comfortable and worry free about their surroundings. It is a family type facility who cares about one another. I love doing the laundry and cleaning as much as I can. It is a lovely place in which to volunteer!
I have been involved/volunteered with Gabriel House of Care before they opened their doors. Gabriel House truly touches everyone that passes through the doors it is nothing short of a miracle. My late husband was the second heart transplant done at Mayo Jacksonville and along with others dreamed of a hospitality house for transplant patients. Every time I volunteer their I feel his prescience knowing this was part of his, no our dream.
I was fortunate to begin volunteering at Gabriel House when they first opened their doors. I was looking for a place to work with people who make a difference and GHOC provided that in ways that exceeded all my expectations. The staff and volunteers are dedicated, caring, thoughtful and fill the house with great positive energy. GHOC is continually providing new programs and outlets to help reduce the stress of those who stay with us. Our guests are often traveling daunting and unknown paths and find great comfort in close connections with others on their own journeys, who welcome them and can help navigate the medical and emotional situations that are part of that new normal. It is a special place with special people.
I started volunteering at Gabriel House about 2 years ago. I usually sit at the front desk for a couple evenings a month to greet guests, answer questions, etc. Occasionally I have helped with dinners. My job is minimal compared to others but it is a great time to observe what is going on around me. First of all, the staff and other volunteers are the most dedicated, understanding group of people that I have ever seen assembled in one place. Their aim of making the guests feel comfortable, understood and included is amazing. Everything revolves around making the guests feel supported during what is often an confusing and difficult time in their lives.
I spent 90 wonderful days at the Gabriel House of Care recovering from my bone marrow transplant. I met and became friends with many patients and caregivers. Words do not express how thankful I am for such a facility. It was spotless. Lorna and Carmen faithfully cleaned the facility, hallways, and kitchen. Valerie kept caregivers on their toes with recyclables. Many different organizations provided nourishing meals. The comradery flourished and provided uplifting spirits and support through laughter and shared conversations with the patients and caregivers. While I live only 50 minutes away, the ease of the shuttle service took the frustration of driving I 95 away. The staff were friendly and courteous and had many helpful suggestions for restaurants. The activities were educational and uplifting. Visitors were welcome. I would gladly recommend the Gabriel House of Care to any transplant patient. Best wishes for many years to come,
Yours truly,
David Toth, St. Augustine
My husband was isolated in a Mayo Clinic hospital room for over 40 days in the spring of 2015. He received intensive treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and I was able to be with him every day because of Gabriel House. Our home was almost two hours away, so commuting was not an option. Gabriel House gave me safe shelter, a full kitchen, laundry facilities, compassionate companionship, and easy access to the hospital -- all in an incredibly beautiful facility at an amazingly reasonable rate. How grateful I will always be to Gabriel House for welcoming me during a time of great personal crisis. It is an exceptional facility.
Thea Jarvis
St. Simons Island, GA
Gabriel House is a first class facility providing top notch compassionate care to newly accepted Mayo patients awaiting organ transplant and further diagnosis as they get on the road to recovery. The hospital and mature professional Gabriel staff provide the ultimate in providing first class lodging, quiet get well atmosphere, athletic room to strengthen one's body before and after sickness. The Director of the Gabriel House is intimately aware of all patients needs and critical issues and she provides the requisite logistics to accommodate a multiude of medical related problems. The overall atmosphere is one of peace and tranquility and all patients learn to appreciate each others challenges as they individually learn to cope with their own obstacles before and after recovery. Empathy, compassion and hope is what the Gabriel House is all about.
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The Gabriel House of Care, a home for transplant (and cancer) patients and their caregivers. I am a caregiver for my wife Karin who has undergone liver cancer treatment, two liver transplants and one kidney transplant. As my life changed from working 12 hour days for the U.S. Government, I had to adapt to a 24/7 hands on new experience to care for my Karin. The Gabriel House provided the healing atmosphere and all the essential living conditions and housing accommodation to enable me to focus on Karin's Mayo Clinicl meetings, appointments, lab visitations and medical consults and most importantly convalescing.. The Gabriel House is on the Mayo campus, the House is a secure wellness facility with scheduled transportation for the caregiver and patient to utilize for all appointments. The leadership of the Gabriel House directed by Valerie Callahan is top notch. Valerie and her staff are knowledgeable, compassionate and sensitive to all the illnesses of patients. Trained volunteers provide a wonderful support for all matters from front desk, kitchen assistance, laundry, supply room and eagerly provide overall guidance for any kind of question or problem. The facility also has a professional gym workout room, an office for internet, copying machine, meeting room and a room for prayer and meditation. The facility grounds are one of a kind, flowers, gorgeous trees and lake for resting, walking and meditation, as a caregiver I needed all the space Gabriel provides to relieve the stress and attempt to understand my new role and mission in life. Today, as my caregiving continues from home I feel very confident that my wife's future appointments at the Mayo Clinic will be made more pleasant and enjoyable with a stay at the Gabriel House.
In 2015 my husband had to come down to Mayo in Jacksonville, Fl for stem cell harvesting for future use do to cancer. The Gabriel House of care was recommended due to the early hours he would have to arrive for his appointments. The staff at Gabriel was friendly, helpful and went above and beyond to ensure the comfort of my husband and also of me as his caregiver. The facility was kept clean and enjoyable programs were offered. It helped to be at a place where patients and caregivers could share their experiences with each other. We still keep in touch with people we met at Gabriel . The various churches and other organizations bringing in food and dessert was a lifeline after being at the hospital all day. All we can say is "Thank God for Gabriel House and its dedicated staff"
My husband had a kidney transplant in 2014 and we had the blessed opportunity to stay at GHoC. The hospital Doctors and Staff at MAYO Clinic were wonderful and then when we moved into the GHoC for the next month it was truly a blessing and such a beautiful house. It made being away from home not so hard. The staff from Mrs. Valerie Callahan, the office staff, volunteers at the front desk, house cleaning, the many organizations that brought delicious meals and even the entertainment on occasion was all such a blessing. The rooms are always top notch and super clean. Beautiful grounds surround the house for walking early morning or late afternoon with inviting porches on the front and back. I have always said on our return trips there that if I ever have the opportunity to live close enough to volunteer at GHoC after I retire I would definitely jump at the chance. To be a part of a family that continues to give back to the residents there would truly be a blessing to me. I always enjoy returning when we visit and donate books, or a nights stay when possible for someone else that just needs a little encouragement to know that others around them care. I would definitely say this place is a 5 STAR, from the people as well as the facility.
Many many thank you's for all you do for all of us continually.
We were very fortunate and extremely blessed to have been able to stay at Gabriel House from late December, 2016 through Early February, 2017 while my wife, Paulette, underwent some grueling concurrent chemotherapy and daily radiation therapy for oral cancer. For most of the stay, she was unable to eat and was on a PEG feeding tube for nourishment. The staff at Gabriel House, from Director Valerie Callahan on down the line were amazing. They were ALL very gracious and caring beyond belief. They accommodated our special needs and made sure we were doing as well as possible given the circumstances. The facilities at Gabriel House are impeccably clean, sanitary, and well-maintained thanks to a wonderful housekeeping and support staff. The huge kitchen, and food storage areas (both refrigerator and pantry) for each of the patients and their caretakers was a big bonus in helping us keep our lives as normal as possible during an extremely difficult and stressful period. The daily shuttle service to and from the Mayo Clinic was so helpful. We used it pretty much every day during our stay. The groups that brought in meals were a Godsend to all of us who were there. We met so many nice people, all going through their own difficult journey, and the set-up at Gabriel House encouraged us to interact with each other, commisserate with one another, and share our triumphs and happier moments as well. We kept in touch with several of them long after our stay was over.
I’m sure there are similar facilities for patient/caregiver lodging at other hospitals in the country, but I cannot possibly imagine any that could be as good as Gabriel House. We are eternally thankful for everyone there. They will always be in our prayers.
Paulette & Mark Walz
On Halloween 2016, my ENT doctor (dressed as a Ninja Turtle Warrior), told me my biopsy revealed CANCER! Stage Four nasopharyngeal cancer.
And then, not at a turtle's pace, my life spun out of control! So many decisions to make regarding something to which I had no knowledge.
I'm a person who researches all options before making a decision. Not an easy project when it comes to how to survive cancer. So many different kinds of cancer, so many treatment options! Mind boggling!
The one decision that was clear to me as soon as I found out about THE GABRIEL HOUSE, was it's where I needed to be to get me through the grueling radiation treatments required in an unfamiliar town!
My caregiver and I made Gabriel House our home for eight weeks. Before I became too ill to participate, I enjoyed the art and meditation classes, and the peaceful setting snuggled under lush pines and vegetation next to the ever entertaining pond. And, the well-equipped shared kitchen was an unexpectedly delightful experience. So clean and organized. So generous: healthy snacks and treats available, and all those wonderful meals prepared by local non-profit organizations and restaurants!! Ahhhhmazing! Such a comfort.
Though not long into my journey, I could no longer swallow and had to miss out on some incredible-looking meals, my caregiver was spoiled and loved it!
The staff was so accommodating. Not hovering, just available if you needed them. Kind, compassionate and caring about your needs.
Meeting other people in all modes of health crises was helpful. Friendships get formed during this crucial time.
I spent a lot of time in that comfortable bed that felt like I was in a Hampton Inn! As sick as I was, I felt pampered.
I'm so very grateful for the Gabriel House: all of it's staff, donors, and affiliated organizations that make it possible for people going through life threatening crises to have a place they can relax and recouperate as they endure life altering treatments.
My recovery seems slower than a turtle's crawl (and as a Sea Turtle Scout for over a decade, I know first-hand, they really are slow!)... however certain moments of my recovery I will cherish (and many I try to forget). Gabriel House is a good memory.
Thank you for offering me affordable shelter in the storm ...to receive life-saving cancer treatment not offered in my home town!
In 2008 I had my first evaluation at Mayo Clinic. Due to Hep C i needed a liver transplant . We, my husband and I, were lucky to be able to stay at the Lighthouse. There were 4 rooms for people needing transplants. Director Ed .... was determined to find a bigger place for people needing transplant. Eventually after negotiations with the Mayo Clinic the Gabriel House of Care was build. Although Ed retired soon after, a capable neu director was found. Valerie Callahan. She and her staff have been doing a remarkable job. Since the opening I've been a guest at GHoC multiple times. I've had complications, needed dialysis, had another liver transplant and kidney transplant. My husband and I had great support from the staff. But let's not forget all the volunteers, the many Organisationen, that have been helping the sick and their care givers, by providing dinners, entertainment (music) during the week and on holidays. There have been cooking classes, yoga and meditation classes for all the guests and as far as I know, many more.
So, once again, thanks to Mrs Callahan, her staff and the Volunteers and all the organizations trying to making life more comfortable for the patients/guests at Gabriel House of Care.
A very grateful thank you from me (Karin Delagi) and my awesome husband (Dan Bates), not to forget my son Ronald.
When my husband had an emergency operation in the Mayo Clinic Hospital in a Jacksonville, I stayed at the Gabriel House of Care. While my husband was in the hospital for 8 weeks, it was such a relief to stay at a safe, comfortable place with so many caring people. I thank God for their ministry.
We were fortunate to have been accepted for lodging at Gabriel House during my wife's radiation and chemo treatments for tongue cancer from 12/16-02/17 at the Mayo Clinic. It was truly a blessing for us. It would have been impossible for us to have successfully completed her cancer treatments were it not for Gabriel House. The staff was truly wonderful and genuinely caring, and concerned about our welfare and needs. The rooms (and other facilities) were pristine and immaculately clean, a testament to the great job by the housekeeping staff. We we served many wonderful meals during our stay, and when my wife could no longer take oral nourishment and relied on tube feeding, their facilities were geared to accommodate her special needs and requirements. We met, associated, and sometimes commiserated with other patients and caregivers, a couple of whom became close friends with whom we still keep our n touch regularly. We are eternally grateful to the staff at Gabriel House, and to the individuals and organizations that support its mission. Our thanks to Valerie, Carmen, Lisa, Dave & Judy, Dr. John Casler, and the rest of the "angels" involved with our stay. May God bless you all for everything you did for us, and continue to do for others. The Walz's
I cannot say enough good things about the Gabriel House of Care. From their director to their volunteers, this organization has a true heart for helping patients and families that are facing some of the most difficult, most frightening time in their lives. I have had the pleasure to refer patients to this organization as well as to visit some of my patients who tell me over and over again about their positive experiences. This organization has taken the time to study the needs of the population that they serve and to put things in place that are helpful in many ways. Our patient's and caregivers feel the love and support that they are provided while staying at Gabriel House of Care and I will definitely continue to show my support for this organization through referring families in need to them.
I first discovered Gabriel House of Care in Jacksonville when I moved to Beaches in 2015 and was looking for volunteer opportunities. I immediately fell in love with Gabriel House and it's mission of compassion, Camaraderie and Community to patients and caregivers of organ transplant and cancer treatment. My husband had a liver transplant in NYC Feb. '12. There was and is nothing like this there. As a spouse /caregiver of a transplant patient I know what it takes out of you both physically and emotionally. Gabriel House offers complimentary classes through it's Integrative Therapy Program that give both the patient and the caregiver the tools and support needed to help with the journey. These classes include Tia Chi, yoga, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Nutritional Cooking Classes, and Art Therapy. I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to turn my volunteer work into a staff position . I am now the Development Officer and get to go out into the community to share all the amazing things that are happening here. I love being part of the team of gifted, special volunteers and coworkers that help to make Gabriel House of Care the Great place it is!
My name is Linda Tucker I was diagnosed with breast cancer August 22,2014. I. My husband Damon and I were devastated . We are from wv so we came to the mayo clinic in September 2014 I had surgery and was referred to the gaberial house . We were so thankful for the kindness we were showed .we stayed there while I recovered from surgery and radiation . I was then told I needed to have chemotherpy. So we stayed at the gaberial house each time we came to the mayo . We met so many friends while we were they that are friends for life . We loved staying at the gaberial house it was a oasis for us while I went through surgery chemo and radiation we will forever be grateful for all the love they showed us while we were there and every time we return for follow up test
The Gabriel House of care is a house of compassion for organ transplant and cancer patients. They take an incredibly innovative approach to caring for their guests by offering support in all aspects of the guests life.
The Gabriel House of Care didn't exist when I had my liver transplant in 2008. Traveling from Texas, my stay was at the Mayo Clinic Hospital before the end ransplant and my wife and mother stayed in a hotel 12 miles away from the Mayo campus. After the transplant, and I left the hospital, I stayed in the same extended stay hotel for a couple of months but had to travel to the campus almost daily.
It was a boring stay at the hotel. We met other people's at the hotel, but no real friendships. The monthly rate was not bad, but more than we could really afford without going into debt.
After the Gabriel House opened, my wife and I stay there every year for my week- long check-up. We make life friends on every visit! The staff is truly amazing. All of our needs are met. We are on the campus of the Mayo and can get there in just a few minutes. It is more than affordable. Enough so we are proud give them a generous donation every year.
Living with other transplant and cancer patients, they see my post transplant success, how well I am doing, and hopefully know they can have the same experience.