ever spent time in a hospital as the loved one of a patient? Ever paced up and down the corridor for what felt like an eternity, lived off vending-machine food for days on end, kinked your back in a futile attempt to sleep on a waiting-room chair?

It’s stressful enough to be worried about your loved one who’s ill or injured and undergoing serious medical care, possibly extended hospital care. And what if you’re from out of town? You can’t drive back and forth every day, and putting up in a hotel certainly drains the financial resources in a hurry.

Enter, two homes away from home— the John Zay Guest House, a beautiful new 12,000-square-foot home located directly across the street from Penrose Main Hospital, and the warm and welcoming Ronald McDonald House, situated across the street from Memorial Hospital.

Open to guests since last November, the John Zay Guest House offers precisely what you need – a place to sleep, shower, eat, to find comfort and have lodging be one less thing you have to worry about during a stressful medical situation.

Sister Lou Krippel, manager of the house, says, “The house really is the answer to a prayer for a lot of people. There’s a beautiful spirit in this house.” A Franciscan sister who’s been in ministry for 59 years, Sister Lou says guests are encouraged to take full advantage of what the home has to offer, from meals to laundry facilities

H

We are dedicated to providing care to women in all stages of life, from adolescence through menopause. Each of our physicians has completed specialty training in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is board certified by the American Board of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Our nurse practitioners are certified in women’s health care.

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8580 Scarborough Dr. Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80920

to private bathrooms to beautifully-decorated common living areas.

“We provide breakfast for everybody daily,” she says, “and we try to do an evening meal once a week for everyone. The guests—who may also be patients if, for example, they’re undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment for extended periods—can also do their own cooking if they like. We provide breakfast materials and groceries for them so even if they come in late at night, there’s always something that’s easy to fix, and there’s always hot coffee, hot chocolate, and hot water for tea.”

The house truly is a labor of love, having gotten its auspicious start from an anonymous million-dollar donation. The seeds of a great idea grew and blossomed, thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated hospital staff and the outpouring of help from the community. Folks from HBA Cares (Home Builders Association) became involved, and along with hundreds of individuals and companies, ultimately contributed $800,000 in materials, supplies, and elbow grease. The house was named in honor of much-loved longtime Penrose chaplain John Zay, who passed away in 2004.

The Ronald McDonald House exists to help the

far left The John Zay Guest House was dedicated last October with a gala reception held at the house. The house was developed by HBA Cares for Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in partnership with Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation and Vantage Homes Corp.