The Boston House is open to all families of pediatric patients who are being treated for cancer at Children’s Hospital Boston and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund Clinic. Families of patients with life-threatening hematological diseases who are receiving bone marrow or stem cell transplants may also stay at The House. If space allows, pediatric oncology patients and their families who are being treated at other nearby hospitals are permitted to stay.

"Family" is defined as parents/guardians, siblings or essential caregivers over the age of 21 directly involved with the daily support of the patient. “Pediatric” is defined as ages birth through 21. Families must come from a minimum of 40 miles from the greater Boston area. Siblings under age 18 are eligible to stay with a parent/guardian or responsible adult, but such siblings must be supervised at all times by said adult. Patients of any age and their siblings must be supervised at all times and not be left alone at the House. There is a limit of one room per family. Each room can accommodate no more than 4 people with a maximum of two adults.

Families may refer themselves. To inquire about a room, we ask that you call us at 617.734.3333 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. A volunteer or staff member will ask you a list of questions to verify your qualifications to stay.

We operate on a night-by-night basis, and are therefore unable to make reservations more than one day in advance. You will need to call the House no earlier than 9 a.m. on the day before you expect to begin treatment. If we are full at the time that you need a room, we will try to help you find accommodations until a room here becomes available.

There is no cost for families to stay at The Boston House.

Each family may park one car for free in The House’s onsite parking lot. It’s up to each family whether they want to drive to and from the hospitals, walk (the Longwood Medical Area is a 10-15 minute walk), hire a taxi, Uber or other car service, or take the Boston Children’s Hospital shuttle service (Details Below).

Boston Children's Hospital Shuttle Hours of service: Monday-Friday from 6:15 am (first pick-up) to 10:45 pm

There is no service on weekends, overnights, or Boston Children’s observed holidays.

Transportation Request: 617-355-6224

Transportation is provided exclusively to and from Boston Children’s Hospital (located at 300 Longwood Ave, Boston) and The Boston House (229 Kent St, Brookline) for patient families to travel between the hospital and their lodging. This free service does not provide transportation to any other location or for any other purpose.

To request a ride from The Boston House to Boston Children’s Hospital, please call 617-355-6224 between the hours of 6:00 am and 10:30 pm. The first pick-up in the morning at The Boston House would be 6:15 am and the last pick-up would be 10:45 pm. We ask that families allow 15-20 minutes for the driver to arrive.

Pick-ups at The Boston House can be scheduled up to 24 hours in advance (Friday for Monday requests)

To request a ride from Boston Children’s Hospital to The Boston House, please go directly to the information desk in the ground floor main lobby of the hospital. The reception services staff will coordinate your ride request. We do not offer advance reservations for return trips to The Boston House. Please request these in person at the information desk.

We have vehicles that can accommodate wheelchair transport and child seats, but please specify these needs in advance when placing your request.

Riders under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

This service should not be used for emergency medical transportation - in an emergency situation, please call 911.

If you have any questions about these services, please contact Boston Children’s Reception Services at 617-355-6224 for assistance.

Housing: We offer 9 bedrooms in the Main House. Rooms have either one double bed or two twins. Port-a-cribs and blow-up beds are available upon request. Each room has a private phone to receive calls and make local calls. Guests in the Main House share bathrooms and common areas including a full kitchen, laundry room, living room, dining room, playroom, playground and other indoor and outdoor space. All linens are provided. We also have 13 studio apartments designated specifically for children recovering from bone marrow and stem cell transplantation surgery, but these patients must first be approved through the Transplant Team at Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center.

Food: Though families are responsible for their own food while staying at the House, we have some staples on hand, and outside groups provide dinner frequently.

Laundry Service: We offer free use of washers and dryers, including detergent.

Transportation: See above.

Entertainment: There are two television sets in the Main House (individual DVD players are available to check out on request) and a shared computer. We have several gaming systems and an extensive DVD library. There is free Wi-Fi available throughout the House.

Families should bring personal items such as clothing and toiletries, and all guests 18 and over must present a valid photo ID (drivers’ license, passport or state or government-issued photo ID). Our kitchen is fully stocked with utensils, etc. and detergent and dryer sheets are free in the laundry room. Hair dryers, irons, strollers and other items are available upon request.

Families may check in between 9 am and 7:30 pm. When a family arrives at The House, the parent or guardian is asked to sign their complete registration form, given a basic tour, and presented with one room key and one key fob which will allow access through the exterior door, any time day or night.

For security reasons, all exterior doors at the House are kept locked at all times. The key fob is the only way to access the House after business hours. If you misplace either the key or fob please let us know immediately.