Christopher’s Haven was founded in 2001 by Dan Olsen, a local actor, singer-songwriter and three-time cancer survivor. While receiving treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, he met families struggling to care for children battling cancer, while also facing the staggering costs of extended stays near the hospital. After surviving his third bout with the disease, Dan committed himself to helping such families. Throughout their stay for cancer treatment in the Center for Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Christopher’s Haven provides young patients and their families with comfortable, clean and beautifully-furnished apartments just steps from the hospital.
Built on the model of the Ronald McDonald Houses, these homes include warm, inviting sitting rooms, game areas and reading spaces. Families pay a nominal fee that is waived for those unable to afford it. Volunteers welcome each family and stock their apartment with kitchen supplies, gifts for the children and passes to local museums and sports events. Freed from concerns about lodging, family members can focus on their child’s treatment and recovery.
