Room to Spare

Last year my 23-year-old daughter, Shannon, was diagnosed with a rare aggressive cancer. When I asked her what she wanted for Christmas, Shannon said she'd like to take a trip with our extended family of 15. I began researching vacation homes online to find something financially feasible. I came across a property in the Bahamas and e-mailed the owner, Ann, describing the nature of our visit. She responded by offering us her house at no charge. What's more, she contacted her friends who own vacation homes and explained our situation so that we'd have other options in case we needed to be close to U.S. medical facilities. Ann's friends offered us houses and condos all over America. Some volunteered frequent-flier miles and spending money for the trip! We wound up staying at Ann's house, but I can't even begin to express how it felt to receive so much love and generosity from total strangers during such a difficult time.
-- Joanne Yoder, Royersford, Pennsylvania