Pete’s Story.

Cancer.

When I heard this word with Pete, I didn’t envision a thirteen-month struggle battling this disease and life without him. But this was my reality. And during our journey, we had the unique opportunity to experience a respite from cancer thanks to the generosity of our loving community. Before his death, Pete communicated his vision for a respite center so that other young families could reconnect, rejuvenate and refresh in a safe environment, an environment that allowed for communication, reflection, joy and pain to be shared within a family unit and together with other families in the same journey. For twenty-two years, FPS has impacted over 10,000 people with this gift of respite. Today, we embark on an endeavor that will bring respite to thousands more!

We announce our Respite Transformed Campaign: Pete’s Vision Realized at Woodloch.

Depicted above is Pete Bossow in July 1999, two months before he died. It was during this time when he outlined his original vision of the respite center; the drawing above was done immediately following his passing.

Project Vision.

Designed using 17 years of qualitative and quantitative outcome data from thousands of FPS participants and with input from oncology professionals. Our Program Outcome Measures collected since the start of community respites at Woodloch statistically demonstrate the impact of respite on the patient, caregiver and their loved ones.

Every space lends for transformative experiences that will change the continuum of care for cancer patients.

Dedicated spaces, including an art studio, pool, play areas, chapel and nature trails, provide backdrop for enhanced benefits.

Lounges, dining room and campfire rings provide settings for collaborative conversation both within the family unit and with other families so that enhanced communication and deeper connections are mainstays in ongoing support during the cancer journey.

Floorplan depicting the dedicated spaces on the ground floor of the three-story Respite Center. Developed by Kimmel Bogrette and the Building Committee, the facility’s shape is meant to model open arms that are outstretched as a symbol of our outreach to families in the crisis of cancer.

Impact.

Respite Transformed will change the continuum of care. Here’s how significant this change will be for cancer patients and their loved ones!

Respite makes a difference. Our respite data and outcomes have been recognized by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and published in an April 2020 FPS abstract, title Individual and community respite as supportive care for adult cancer patients, their caregivers and their families. FPS has presented twice at the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) national conference on the therapeutic impact of respite on patients, caregivers and their families relative to strengthened communication, relationships, resilience, quality of life and coping with cancer.

Our nominators continually report outcome data to For Pete’s Sake to measure impact. 100% of our nominators report improvement in patients’ and the families’ ability to cope with cancer. Furthermore, oncology professionals themselves report renewed strength and stamina in the clinical setting.

Investment.

Invest in the family facing cancer

When you support the Respite Transformed Campaign, you create a circle of love with arms outstretched for families traumatized by cancer. Your generosity seeps deep into the hearts of those in despair and brings hope in this crisis. You change lives, forever.

Pete set out to Change the Continuum of Care for Families Facing Cancer. We will finish his work!

To learn more, contact For Pete’s Sake founder, Marci Schankweiler, at marci@takeabreakfromcancer.org or Campaign Director, Cheryl Pompeo, at cheryl@takeabreakfromcancer.org or call our office at (267) 708-0510.

Check out our investment progress below!

Total Endowment Investment Raised: $2M out of $5M

Total Capital Investment Raised: $5.1M out of $12M

Updates.

February 2023

Great news! On January 23, 2023, we received our Conditional Use Permit for the Respite Center!  This permit now allows us to build the facility and we are moving full steam ahead! Our architect, Kimmel-Bogrette is finalizing the Design Development documents in collaboration with our Building Committee to ensure that every aspect of the building meets our families’ needs.

December 2022

We are in the final phase for our Conditional Use permit. Take a look at our Conditional Use Plan for the project and get a sneak peek at the building and the property.  There is such a peace that one finds in nature, and our families will be surrounded by such peace throughout their stay! Moreso, the land that abuts the property is in conservation, so we are looking at 57 acres of preserved, pristine land! We look forward to the 2023 and our momentum forward to change cancer care with the first dedicated Respite Center for families facing cancer.

October 2022

We had our first conversation with the Lackawanna County Planning Commission to share our plans to build the nation’s first cancer respite center in their community. This is only the beginning of our conversations to obtain approvals and permitting for our project. Our Cancer Respite Program served our 10,000th person through a travel respite experience at Woodloch.

June 2022

We executed the Agreement of Sale for the 32 acres at Woodloch. We have contracted with our architect Kimmel Bogrette for the remaining phases of design development and our civil engineers are working on our site plan. Our final drawings coming soon for our project.

January 2022

100% of the FPS Board and Campaign Committee make a pledge to the project! With proceeds from the sales of the FPS homes in FL, FPS surpasses $4,000,000 committed to the project.

December 2021

FPS secures a $1,250,000 gift to the Campaign.

November 2021

The Campaign committee gathered at Woodloch for a two day training session and some Woodloch fun. The group toured the site and symbolically marked the location with stones that will be used in the building. View pictures here of this training session and the dedicated group of volunteers spearheading this endeavor!

Volunteers.

Volunteers are at the Heart of our Campaign

Join our Campaign Committee or one of four subcommittees (Leadership, Prospect, Event and Communication). We also have a Building Committee and Medical Advisory Committee. We are grateful for all our volunteers and their time, talent and treasure dedicated to this project.

YOUR family can be a part of the endeavor with our Respite Volunteer Program! Choose a week and minister to our FPS families through daily activities and assigned responsibilities critical to the center’s operation. Check back for updates on volunteering on this Campaign and on a respite at Woodloch!

Campaign Committee

Chairpersons
Tom McGinn
Dale Moss*
Kate Shields*

Founder & CEO
Marcella Schankweiler*

Board Chairman
R. Brad Minor*

Peter** & Shirley Ma
James Greenhalgh & Dana Linn-Greenhalgh
Missy McGinn
Michael and Lisa Minghenelli

Jeffrey Boyle
Craig & Taryn Jones
Skip Patton
Paul & Courtney Ferrero
Colleen** & Michael Koh
Susan Schultz* & Joseph Straton, MD
Charles* & Amy Greenberg

*Member, Board of Directors
**Chair, New York Council
*** Young Friend Board Member

Board of Directors

Vice Chairman
Meghan Patton

Secretary
Brian Havrilla

Treasurer
Joseph Manion

Peg Beavers
Amy Beilman
Susan Buehler
Colleen Lange
Kevin Norris
Deb Rinaldi
Christopher Solecki
Robert Asklar***
Diana Zalewski***
Christopher Selgrath
Charles Greenberg

Building Committee

Chairpersons
Christopher Condon
Craig Hamilton
Keith Ledwith

Glen Arthur
Patrick Bello
Anthony Gerardi
Helen Malloy Griffin
Craig Jones
Beth Kuttler
John Murabito
Dave Smith
Mary Beth Stefanowicz
Tricia Tysiak, BSN, OCN

Woodloch Community

Bob Kiesendahl
Dave Smith

Staff

Chief Philanthropy Officer
Cheryl Pompeo

Finance Officer
Danielle Coyne

Program Director
Carol Schwind, RN

Medical Advisory Committee

Et-tsu Chen, MD
University of Pennsylvania Health System

Terri McHugh, DO
Main Line Health

Meg Garrett, BSN, RN, OCN* University of Pennsylvania

Health System
Melissa Kratz, RN, MSN, OCN Lehigh Valley Health Network

Luanne Chynoweth, LCSW

Mary Oleksiak, LCSW