It’s called a home away from home for the families of military personnel. If you’re enlisted or a veteran service member getting medical treatment, a Fisher House is a place where your loved ones can stay so they can be nearby during your time in the hospital.
Arizona’s first Fisher House opened in Tucson last month.
The Fisher House Foundationis a nonprofit organization behind the homes. They’re usually built on military bases with major hospitals or on VA campuses. There’s no fee and there’s no limit to how long the family can stay.
The Tucson Fisher House is on the VA campus and, like in many cases, the foundation gave the house to the VA after it was built. The 16-bedroom house can accommodate about 40 people comfortably.
Dr. Dana Staggs is the chairman of the fundraising committee for the more than $6 million Arizona Fisher House. He describes the building as a “five-star hotel.”
“There’s a huge living area, dining room, kitchen where the families can come in the evenings and they’re together because they’re going through similar things,” Staggs said. “A lot of them have lifetime relationships that they make with these other families.”
The benefits of having loved ones nearby for support are dramatic, Staggs said.
“State of mind is everything. If you have the support there for you, it is a world of difference when you heal,” Staggs said. “I’ve come across many people that have been injured in combat and they’re just kind of hanging on – and then their family shows up and they just have these near miraculous recoveries.”
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been modified to reflect the Tucson Fisher House cost more than $6 million to build. The local fundraising committee generated $2.5 million.
