Supporting The Doorways: Between Healing and Home for Patients and Families at VCU Health

When Brooklynn Gentry was born two years ago, she was three months premature and weighed 1 pound, 7 ounces. To survive and thrive, she needed the best possible care from leading physicians, and she received that care at VCU Health and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.

Two-year-old Brooklynn Gentry relaxes a bit at The Doorways this past May. At the time, she was recovering from a tonsillectomy, and she and her mom were already making plans to return to The Doorways for a surgical procedure at VCU Medical Center to remove Brooklynn’s tracheotomy.
Two-year-old Brooklynn Gentry relaxes a bit at The Doorways this past May. At the time, she was recovering from a tonsillectomy, and she and her mom were already making plans to return to The Doorways for a surgical procedure at VCU Medical Center to remove Brooklynn’s tracheotomy.

As Brooklynn battled for six months in the NICU nearly 100 miles away from her home, she was fortunate to have something just as important as all the doctors and expertise that surrounded her – she had her family close by.

The physical and emotional strain of traveling 100 miles every day to see a sick child, as well as the financial strain of staying in hotels for long stretches, are more than most families can bear. Brooklynn’s family was no different, but they were able to stay close to Brooklynn because of long-time MCV Campus friend The Doorways.

The Doorways is a private, nonprofit organization that provides lodging for patients, their families and their caregivers who need to be close to the hospital before, during or after treatment. The 115-room guest house serves more than 10,000 people each year who are referred from several Richmond-area hospital partners. It is the second largest hospital hospitality house in the nation and the largest to operate solely on donations.

While The Doorways now works with partners throughout the region, it was established in 1984 by volunteers at the MCV Hospitals Auxiliary to serve patients at the VCU Medical Center, and still receives more than 85 percent of its guests from VCU Health.

The Doorways’ eight-story building at the corner of East Marshall and North 7th streets features dedicated floors for pediatric and transplant patients, fully stocked kitchens and a pantry, family dining rooms, TV lounges, a library, a chapel, a fitness room and a 24-hour laundry room.

These amenities, say staff and volunteers at The Doorways, “provide a healing, emotionally supportive environment for those who need to be close to the hospital but not far from the feeling of ‘home.’”

To help improve that feeling of home, last year we donated $50,000 to support The Doorways’ current fundraising campaign, which will help pay for construction and renovation throughout the guest house.

Denise Gentry enjoys the August sun on the balcony at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU with her daughter Brooklynn. Since Brooklynn was born three months premature and battled in the NICU for six months, Denise and her family have been regulars at The Doorways when Brooklynn receives care on the MCV Campus.
Denise Gentry enjoys the August sun on the balcony at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU with her daughter Brooklynn. Since Brooklynn was born three months premature and battled in the NICU for six months, Denise and her family have been regulars at The Doorways when Brooklynn receives care on the MCV Campus.

“I have been involved with The Doorways for more than 10 years and have witnessed first-hand the important role that The Doorways plays in the healing process for patients and families,” said Wyatt Beazley IV, MCV Foundation board chair-elect. “The Doorways’ guests are often experiencing the most trying times of their lives, and having easy access to safe and affordable accommodations with support services can make a significant difference.  On more than one occasion I have spoken with a guest who told me that he/she could not have continued their care at VCU Health if not for The Doorways.  The renovations that are underway will make the entire facility even more like a home away from home and will go a long way toward supporting the emotional and physical wellbeing of people who most need it. I’m proud the MCV Foundation has decided to support The Doorways because the two organizations share a common mission, and that is helping VCU Health deliver world-class healthcare to everyone who needs it.”  

The five-year renovation campaign at The Doorways, launched in 2015, is revitalizing public, work and guest spaces. New rooms and a therapeutic garden will be added while many infrastructure repairs and upgrades will be made that are necessary to maintain a safe, comfortable and healthy environment for The Doorways’ guests.

Among those guests is Brooklynn, who with her mom Denise is a regular at The Doorways. As Brooklynn often receives follow-up care from VCU Health, Denise said there is one thing she doesn’t have to worry about. “It is a great relief to know I can come home to The Doorways each time,” she said.

Supporting VCU Health patients and their families by improving some of the exceptional amenities available to them like The Doorways is critical to our mission of helping to improve the world-class patient care available right here in Richmond. To learn more about our work and our mission, read our story. To learn about all the ways you too can support patients and their families, visit our giving page.

The Doorways by the Numbers