Jerry Brower raised crops, cattle, hogs and his family on this parents’ homestead outside of Willow Lake. Hard work was no stranger to Jerry and his wife Arlene, but his diagnosis of lung cancer in 2012 was one of the hardest battles they would ever fight. With Arlene by his side, Jerry sought treatment at the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center, Prairie Lakes Hospital and eventually, palliative care through Prairie Lakes Hospice. Jerry lost his battle with cancer in October 2013.
“The back and forth trips just got to be too much for us,” Arlene shared. “Sometimes Jerry and I would stay at the Caring Club House for the week while he was receiving treatment at the Cancer Center. The Caring Club House was my refuge when Jerry was in the hospital. Altogether, we stayed there well over a month.”
Arlene continually donates to the Caring Club House in memory of Jerry. “I want to be sure the Caring Club House is available for others who travel for treatment at Prairie Lakes. I want to be sure there is food in the cupboards, the lights are on and there is someone there to help guests. I appreciated being able to talk to others going through difficult times. I can’t say enough good about the place.”
The Caring Club House is funded completely through community support and donations. It is a not-for-profit community-based project of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation with support from Prairie Lakes Healthcare System. The annual operating cost is approximately $17,000.