Mary

Mary Berkeley came to us as a volunteer nearly a decade ago. She is known for her green thumb, industrious organization skills and handy needlework, but her sunny disposition and the care she shows for families has made her a truly cherished member of The Boston House team.

Mary is a longtime volunteer at The Boston House. Before coming to The House, two of her nephews were diagnosed with cancer when they turned five years old, which eventually led her to seek work at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). Mary’s former boss at DFCI was at one time the president of The Boston House Board of Directors and when she told Mary about The House, she jumped at the chance to volunteer.

For Mary, the opportunity to work at The Boston House feels like she is honoring her nephews and helping others in need. The House is special to her because it gives people who are in a turbulent time in their lives a home and offers comfort. She recalls that when The House was nearing the end of its COVID-19 quarantine period people began coming to The House to provide dinners and hosting outdoor cookouts. She said it was nice seeing everyone there, cooking, chatting, and sitting outside, and the families expressed their gratitude. After months of being separated—even though they were in the same building—they expressed how it was wonderful to be together and she witnessed the beginning of lifelong friendships. Mary feels that The Boston House is special because the families are all in the same situation and they understand each other in the way their friends and family back home can’t.

Mary shared how one of the most memorable times at The House was also a sensitive time. She recalled a little boy named Griffin who often checked in for his weekly hospital visits. She remembered his mom wheeling him inside and telling Mary that Griffin would always mention that he wanted to come to The House, saying “Just take me to The House, and I will be okay.”

The most challenging part of volunteering, according to Mary, is knowing that the nature of a small organization means that there might be times of financial hardship for The House, and added that, as she ages, she might not be able to continue to perform tasks at her current level. But Mary says being able to just sit at the desk to check people in can mean a lot to families. Whether it’s giving recommendations for restaurants, fun places, and family-focused activities, or cooking kid-friendly comfort meals like mac and cheese, she believes that everyone who walks through the door feels the love and care.

Mary says that the experience of volunteering at The Boston House has helped her learn to always look outside the situation and be more aware of what others are going through. She says that after being with The House for nearly a decade, she found that giving back is extremely rewarding, particularly since she has a personal connection to cancer patients. She says some of the staff members even have a personal experience with staying at The House at one time, and she thinks that this helps them empathize with each family’s cancer journey. Mary believes that in the end, it’s about pushing for hope because hope is all that we have.