Banner MD Anderson welcomes first residents to community for cancer center patients

Patients and families began moving June 7 into a new community of homes by Banner MD Cancer Center in Gilbert.

The moves came after the cancer center , Banner Health Foundation and Taylor Morrison cut the ceremonial ribbon on the homes that will house patients and families while they undergo treatment.

Donated and built by Taylor Morrison, the homes are within walking distance of the cancer center, eliminating the financial burden of travel and hotel stays for approximately 80 patients and their care partners each year so they can focus on recovery in a comfortable environment.

“Despite advancements in cancer technology, true healing occurs at home,” Dr. Matthew Callister, senior physician executive for Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in a release. “These homes provide comfort, safety and hope for vulnerable patients on their cancer journey, serving as a sanctuary away from their home communities."

While many patients can afford a short hotel stay, few are prepared to pay for long-term lodging, especially those whose treatment protocol requires weeks to months of daily therapy or close post-surgical monitoring.

That spurred the creation of Banner MD Anderson's " Home Away from Home " program, which covers the cost of local stays at partner hotels for qualifying patients.

Patients who have the longest length of stay will be prioritized to stay in the new homes, while others will receive lodging support through the ongoing hotel program.

The design of the eight homes draw upon Taylor Morrison’s build-to-rent brand Yardly, featuring 1,000-square-foot fully furnished homes, complete with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, gathering room and private backyards.

Additional space is available within the community for future development, depending on patient demand in the coming years.

“As a homebuilder, there’s no greater gift we could give than to build a community of homes that will eliminate undue stressors like hotel costs alongside rent or mortgage payments, and allow patients to focus on their treatment,” said Taylor Morrison Chairman and CEO Sheryl Palmer. “It was deeply important to us that what we were building was a true community—a place for patients to share experiences and support one another."

The Home Away from Home fundraising campaign began in 2019 with the goal of supporting cancer patients whose treatment protocol spans 30 or more days and who lack local housing.

This patient population includes those undergoing a stem-cell transplant who need to be within 30 minutes of the facility to qualify for their transplant and for postoperative monitoring, and blood cancer patients who receive daily treatment for weeks or months.

Using charitable gifts from individuals, families, businesses and foundations, including Thunderbirds Charities and the American Cancer Society, the program assists qualifying patients with all types of cancer where proximity to their care team is vitally important.

Without this assistance, a patient can spend, on average, $5,500 in hotel stays—even with discounted rates offered by hotel partners.

“Today has been a dream in the making for several years and we are so thrilled to see it come to life,” said Andy Petersen, president & CEO for the Banner Health Foundation.