MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Every Tuesday, as part of our Community Changers series, we shine a light on organizations making memphis better! This week, we caught up with a group that believes in creating a home away from home for free.

Delois Green is a mother of three. Married for forty five years and her husband is the mayor of Renova, Mississippi just outside Cleveland.  With twelve chemo treatments and immunotherapy under her belt, it was time for four weeks of radiations in Memphis.

“In January, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancer,” Delois said. “I go home on the weekends. My husband picks me up on Fridays and brings me back Sunday evenings.”

Delois’ radiation treatment happened every day for the entire month of december. Instead of driving back and forth from Cleveland, Mississippi, she stayed at the Hope Lodge during the week.

Maria Robinson is the Senior Manager of the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Memphis. It’s a home away from home. A hotel, if you will, to accommodate cancer patients during treatment.

“One less worry that you have to worry about. Free place to stay. It can be overnight or long stay. Really depends on what the treatment is that they’re going through,” Maria said.

They have 40 rooms, communal spaces, plus fully-equipped community kitchens. Along with food storage, a library, access to computers and even a workout room, there are all the amenities you would find at a hotel.

But, it’s tailored to cancer patients. They even have transportation if you need it.

“My husband said if I had to come every day we were going to do what needed to be done. But once we found out that we had somewhere to stay and not have to worry,” Delois said.

Cancer in general is a lot. But the lodging, we want to take care of that. That is one less thing off your plate,” Maria said.

That is why Brown Missionary Baptist Church wanted to give Hope Lodge Memphis a thousand dollars.

Because when you remove the stress and cost of where to stay during your cancer treatment, you can focus on healing instead.

A true Community Changer.