Photography by Jamison Mosley
Located at 4300 Markham Street across from the Little Rock campus of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Home for Healing offers free lodging to parents of NICU infants, cancer patients + their caregivers, and caregivers of ICU patients. Now, Home for Healing welcomes adult cancer patients from UAMS, Baptist Health, CHI ST Vincent, Arkansas Urology and teenagers from Arkansas Children’s. Since its inception in 2003, the peaceful + restorative environment makes it a beacon of hope during a journey back to wellness. Dr. Kent Westbrook was instrumental in the inception of Home for Healing – he shares insight + perspective.
An experienced surgical oncologist, Dr. Kent Westbrook returned to Arkansas in 1970 as a dedicated surgeon and professor at UAMS. While providing expert care to patients, he realized many were not receiving the full spectrum of healing required for complete recoveries. This revelation not only inspired the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, but also an effective cancer support center: Home for Healing.
As then-director of the newly established UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Dr. Westbrook’s vision was simple. “Our philosophy was building a cancer center to provide multidisciplinary care to patients. That was care not just determined by the doctor they saw, but care provided by a team of physicians. For each patient, we wanted to provide and select the best possible treatment for that patient during their cancer journey.” With unwavering dedication – he recruited faculty, established a state-of-the-art facility and strengthened support systems at the institute for patients and
their families.
Among the services, the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute Auxiliary volunteers imagined a safe haven for cancer patients and their caregivers during treatments at UAMS. Director of Volunteer Services/Auxiliary and founding member of the Home for Healing Board of Directors Janie Lowe elaborates, “We wanted a place where patients could relax, find solace, and gather helpful information for their cancer journey.” Dr. Westbrook became an ally in their pursuit,and in 2003, the UAMS Family Home – today’s Home for Healing – welcomed its first guests.
Under the tutelage of Dr. Westbrook, and in cooperation with the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Home for Healing is a testament to the transformative power of truly comprehensive care and people who unite in a shared vision. With 20 years of service to cancer patients from all over the world, Home for Healing is a crucial part of a network of services that attend not only to the physical aspects of the disease but also nurtures the emotional well-being of patients and their loved ones.
Home for Healing | UAMS Health
