Carolyn Bland - Family House Guest

It’s tough enough going through a serious illness, yet even tougher when you don’t have a loved one right at your side.  This is where Family House comes in to support those guests in any way we possibly can.

Recently, Carolyn Bland was a guest, staying here for six weeks while she underwent radiation treatments at UNC Hospitals for neck cancer.  Hailing from Fayetteville, she told her immediate family that they didn’t need to stay here with her because “I have my own family here.”

A retired administrative assistant at Fort Bragg, we would often find Carolyn finding ways to stay busy between treatments: folding laundry, assisting in the main kitchen, chatting with other guests, etc. 

Carolyn shared,  “Everyone is going through something here.  It’s the aura and uplifting that you get here.  Guests feel comfortable talking with you.  We exchange stories.  We feed off each other.  It’s a place of warmth here. It’s a comfort not to worry about your meals. Everything is here for you.”

As our conversation was coming to a close, Carolyn said that she never expected to get cancer, yet with her faith and thinking positive, she tries not to worry a lot about her “condition.”  “ I live for today and enjoy the now.”   Carolyn sure has the right attitude for beating cancer.