American Cancer Society – Hope Lodge – Baltimore

I want to share my greatest thanks to the people that make Hope Lodge of Baltimore one of the positive experiences a cancer victim could hope for. The staff is caring and makes the travails of treatment almost a welcome event. The other residents and care givers make treatment of cancer a shared experience. I am an introvert and never felt so comfortable in taking a meal with people I just met. Many dinners are catered by volunteers that wish to give. The best days are the days when a volunteer organization comes and provides sustenance and the residents dine together in food and conversation. The facility is an example of organization. And the organization is what makes it outstanding. Speaking to a review that I read prior to arrival that mentioned mattresses and caused me some concern :: nothing could be further from the facts of today. The mattresses are comfortable and like new. The accommodations are outstanding. The facility is first rate, and I appreciate excellence. If you choose treatment in Baltimore, you will not be disappointed with your stay at Hope Lodge. My thanks to those that make Hope Lodge the positive retreat it truly is.

To say Hope Lodge in Baltimore is a blessing is an understatement! The facilities, the staff, and the perks are so wonderful. The staff is so kind and compassionate to everyone's need. They are constantly asking how we are and if we need anything. They keep the entire building spotless and sterile. A great advantage is being together with people going through chemo and radiation also. We are able to share joys and fears and, more importantly, support each other. Hope Lodge offers group activities to make us laugh and have fun--taking our minds away from our sadness for a while. We have met such wonderful people that will be lifetime friends. They are building a new building with more rooms and are still looking for donations to help with the construction. If I had the resources, I would build ten for ACS. Every cancer patient should have the support that comes with a Hope Lodge. I can't thank them enough for all they have done to help us through this scary time. I could write forever. They will have my lifetime support. Shirley Marshall

This place is absolutely amazing! I can not give the Hope Lodge of Baltimore enough stars ⭐️ All of the staff there are wonderful, caring, and thoughtful individuals. They truly do care about the cancer patients and caregivers that stay there temporarily during their treatment. From the moment my mother, sister, and I walked in to the Hope Lodge, I knew this would be the perfect “home away from home.” For those of you that work and/or volunteer at the Hope Lodge, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart, for going above and beyond to make not only us, but others feel welcome, loved, and like family. You do make a difference!

I would like to say thank you again for allowing me to stay in Baltimore so many blessings they provide for patients that have been refered to the Baltimore area for their. I met so many nice people and their families from a lot of different areas going cancer of many types. These people became my friends I think and pray for them daily. I remember couples and relatives from California,Kentucy, Florida, just name a few. The staff are very understanding and helpful they offer different things that are helpful while you stay. I was blessed with being to stay at the Hope lodge the 4 1/2 weeks of my treatment. Staying at the Hope Lodge was very helpful not allowing this burden of traveling back and forth from where i live. All this has and is being done with the kind people that work at and through American Cancer Society. Remember you dont have to go through this alone. God bless those at the Hope lodgeand tge American Cancer Society for what they did for me.

First I want to say that myself and the person I was caring for during my stay here are extremely grateful for the Hope Lodge. Staying here allowed us to continue with the treatment plan at a local hospital and not have to worry about hotel costs. I want to share my review so that future guests can be prepared and have better understanding of what this place provides to you. Location: Even though the HL located near iconic locations like Lexington Market and the University of Maryland, you still want to be alert when walking around. Unfortunately, there were several terrible crimes committed just a few blocks away from HL during our stay. I recommend using ride sharing for getting around and avoiding walking alone once it’s dark outside. Shuttle Service: The shuttle van was much appreciated during our stay. It runs frequently to the hospitals that provide treatment for the guests. The driver is really friendly and does a great job at managing the trips. The van is wheelchair accessible and seats passengers comfortably. Accommodations: The rooms are similar to a hotel. A TV, beds, arm chairs, a desk and private restroom. My the biggest complaint with the room was our beds. They were extremely uncomfortable and the box springs were covered in some kind of stains. The pillows were not much better and offered little to no neck support. Every guest that I talked to about the beds said the same thing and how difficult it was to sleep. I highly recommend bringing your own pillows or even a mattress topper if you have issues with your back or general bed comfort. The rooms do not have cable, just local digital antenna channels. I suggest bringing a media stick or a laptop loaded with your favorite movies and shows. The TV’s have an HDMI port so get creative and make something work for you. Technology: The free WiFi is spotty with little to no connection in various areas. When I was within 5 feet of the access point, I could barely stream a video. The PC’s have wired internet but are not much faster. I was hoping that I could “work from home” while staying here but the network infrastructure just isn’t setup for most people to do so. I recommend looking into your options with your carrier about unlimited data or tethering if you do before coming so that you’ll have one less thing to worry about. Dining: The HL has several groups of volunteers and organizations that provide dinners 2 times or more a week. While everyone was appreciative of the meals, the food that was prepared didn’t really hit the mark of “healthy”. Cancer patients need the most nutritious food possible and I hope that volunteers will create menus that promote health in the future. The shared refrigerators were a huge hassle for us. There’s not much space to hold a weeks worth of food for two adults, so I had to make couple trips to the grocery store each week. Community Areas: There’s two TV’s in different rooms with cable. So that everyone gets a chance to watch something, you have to limit your time to about an hour. One room has a dvd library that I recommend checking out. As far as the other shared spaces, it’s open but cozy. Try to find a spot that feels comfortable that you can spend time in, instead of laying in the room all day. Closing Remarks: Many people like myself feel like their loved ones couldn’t have made it through treatment without the Hope Lodge. I hope that the views I expressed will encourage the staff to explore how the lodge can improve. I believe this place has the potential to truly be home away from home with some minor changes. I hope that my review will help future patients be much more prepared for their stay than I was.