Roanoke woman wants to open a place for adults and families to stay during medical care

ROANOKE, Va. – It will be like the Ronald McDonald House but for adults. A Roanoke woman wants an affordable short-term place for out-of-towners to stay when their loved one is in the hospital.

"This is something that traveling patients need and I know he will be proud of us doing whatever it takes to get here," said Terrianne Julian. 

Terrianne Julian wants to honor her dad, who was diagnosed with a type of leukemia in 2013. She traveled with her parents from Smyth County to Wake Forest for treatments until he died in 2017. The State Employees Credit Union Family House was home to them during their stays. Julian wants to create a similar hospitality house like that one in the Star City.

"I talked with my dad and my mom a couple of times while we were staying there about Roanoke really need something like this. And it was just a godsend," said Julian. 

She's in the beginning stages of the Roanoke Hospitality House. It will be a place for adult patients and their families to stay during medical treatments.

"My mom got to know four other ladies. They were going through very similar situations with their husbands and they have maintained a close relationship ever since."

Julian is in contact with the various hospitals and community leaders to make it a reality.

"The main thing we need to find is our primary sponsor or donor. We're looking for someone that can help us get the real estate and location underway."

Through a GoFundMe account, more than $3,600 has been raised for startup funds. 

"Virginia Tech Carilion is beginning to grow and LewisGale has always brought a lot of people in especially from Southwest Virginia. I'd really like for the families of those patients to stay as well as a place for our outpatient individuals. To have somewhere to go after chemo or after radiation so they are not driving an hour and a half or two hours back to their home only to turn around and drive back the next day," said Julian. 

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About the Author:

Irisha joined the WSLS news team in January 2017 after spending four years as a reporter in Georgia.