Alex Porter spent his life devoted to helping and caring for others. Whether it was the soup kitchen he made meals at growing up, building homes with Habitat for Humanity or service trips to impoverished countries, his purpose in life was clear. His wife, Gwendolyn, and their two daughters are now carrying on his mission of helping families navigate the rough terrain that cancer and other serious illnesses bring.
A few months after Alex passed away, Gwendolyn knew she wanted to do more for other families who found themselves in the same situation as hers.
"More times than I can count, I had to bring our kids to sit outside of the Emergency Room, in the lobby or outside of the hospital for very long periods (anywhere from three-12 hours)," Gwendolyn explains.
If you have ever visited a loved one in a hospital, you know it can feel scary, especially for kids. Being immersed in that environment for months at a time wears down not only the mental health of the patient, but the patient's family as well.
"The entire reason [someone sick] is fighting cancer or serious illness is to be able to live to see another birthday, teach their children how to drive, give them away at their wedding," Gwendolyn says. "[My daughters] and I wanted to create a space where families can gather to create meaningful moments with whatever time they have left."
During Alex's fight with cancer across three states and four different hospital systems, Gwendolyn found there was no family programming, no support when big conversations had to happen and a general lack of empathy "for the grenade that cancer throws" into a family's life.
The nonprofit Gwendolyn started, Alex's Sunnyside Playroom, offers a safe, warm and comfortable space for families to create meaningful moments together. There are toys, puzzles, games, books, sensory equipment, leveled seating options, floor mats, a wall to draw on, uplifting colorful artwork, rideable toys and an area to breastfeed in the playroom.
There are currently two of these playrooms in Columbus—one at Riverside Hospital and the other at The James.
Her ultimate goal is to see Alex's Sunnyside Playroom at every cancer hospital across the United States to show the impact that positivity can have on the lives of strangers going through impossible situations.
"Every dollar raised goes directly toward the family playrooms and activities within the rooms," Gwendolyn says. "The more the first two family playrooms are utilized, the more the hospital systems will continue to see the value of investing in patient care."