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Home’s just around the corner

The Devon Nicole House

ocated on the top floor of the hospital’s 21 Autumn Street building—just a few blocks away from the hospital’s main campus—the Devon Nicole House opened June 14 and is Children’s first long-term housing facility dedicated to providing a home-away-from-home to families receiving care at Children’s Hospital Boston.

The house offers bedrooms for up to 13 families, two computer stations, an entertainment center with couches, and a large communal kitchen where families can store food and prepare their own meals. There’s even a great view of the Muddy River from many of the rooms. Rooms are available to families on a sliding scale cost of $15 to $50 per night. Eligibility is based on need and other pertinent criteria. Inability to pay will not exclude any family.

The Devon Nicole House began as the vision of Tom and Deanna Missert to honor the memory of their infant daughter, Devon Nicole, who passed away in New Hampshire shortly after birth. The Misserts worked with Children’s to raise funds for the house that will now act as an extension of hospital support and intervention for families.

Cynthia Levin, director of the Center for Families, hopes the house will not only lessen the financial and practical burdens of staying in Boston, but give families more opportunities to be together. “We want the house to be a haven, not just a place to drop your suitcase and take a nap,” says Levin.

In general…
When making hotel reservations, ask if the hotel has a medical rate or a preferred rate for patients or their family members.

While the International Center and the Center for Families do their best to assist families who need a place to stay, all Children’s staff can direct families to this information at www.childrenshospital.org/visiting/preparing/accommod.html.