CVAHCS Fisher House welcomes first guest
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA – The Columbia VA Health Care System, (CVAHCS) recently had a long-awaited grand opening ceremony for the Fisher House on the hospital campus. The first guest checked in last week.
Connie Shugart registered as the first guest at the Columbia Fisher House. Her husband, U.S. Navy Veteran Albert N. Shugart, Jr., was in inpatient treatment for a few days. The Shugart’s live in Richburg, South Carolina, a little more than 60 miles away.
When her husband was in CVAHCS in the past, she would make the drive back and forth every day. “I would stay as long as I could then drive home,” she said. “Then I would drive back the next morning.”
“The Columbia Fisher House was honored to welcome the first guest on Thursday May 25, 2023,” said Candler Rhodes, the acting Fisher House Manager. "This is the second Fisher House in South Carolina." The other is at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston.
Mrs. Shugart heard about Fisher House from one of the social workers, Ronald Parker.
“Mr. and Mrs. Shugart are an extremely nice couple whom I thought would benefit from the Fisher House services,” said Parker, an Acute Social Care Worker. “I am so happy they could use the Fisher House to accommodate their needs and assist with the care of the Veteran.”
The Fisher House Foundation has built more than 90 Fisher Houses around the world, with a goal of 100. The first Fisher House was built next to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1991. When presented with the idea of building something for military families, Zachary Fisher responded. “I’m a builder. That’s what I do for a living. I can do this.” Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher dedicated more than $20 million to the construction of comfort homes for families of hospitalized military personnel to stay free of charge.
The Shugart’s have been married for 46 years. “When I’m around him, he calms down. I came in around noon one day and the nurses said they could see a difference in him when I was there,” she said. “He didn’t like me traveling those 60 miles back and forth. It eases his mind to know I’m staying here.”
Since inception, the Fisher House program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $547 million in out-of-pocket costs for lodging and transportation and has provided 11.5 million nights of lodging.
“Providing care for caregivers is a wonderful mission and we look forward to providing a home away from home for many more caregivers and family members to come,” said Rhodes. Mrs. Shugart added, “This place is allowing me to be with him more, and I can’t thank them enough for that.”