The Kin Wellness and Support Center, located in Bucks County, has come to nurturing fruition for so many cancer patients in the area, offering free integrative services, fitness, counseling and support.
As of this writing, Kin has on-boarded 130 guests who are being cared for and receiving services by 37 practitioners and instructors. You may have seen articles regarding the opening of Kin in February of this year. The previous articles have told a story of what Kin would be about and how it came to be by the gracious and generous donations of goods and services from amazing people and organizations – it was a look from the “outside-in.” The purpose of this article is to share from the perspective from “inside-out.” And oh my, what an astonishing inside it is.
I entered the living room at Kin and felt the complete warmth and comfort. Keith Fenimore, the executive director, and his wife Kristina, the director, met me with open hearts and sweet words of welcome. It truly felt like I was walking into a personal living room with beautiful and cozy furnishings, donated by Hendirixson’s Furniture, surrounded by inspiring artwork and décor. In the room is also a charming kitchen that has become the nucleus of Kin.
Kin was built in under a year and was a dream of Corrine Sikora, a CB School administrator and cancer patient who wanted to develop a place where local cancer patients could feel “at home” while receiving comforting and supportive services amidst their cancer journeys. Sadly, Corinne passed in November of 2020, but I had the delightful pleasure to speak with Jean Transue, Corinne’s mom, to get her insight on Corinne’s vision and what Kin has become today. Her first words, “This is absolutely a stunning place to be!” She felt Corinne was dreaming of a calming, relaxing, and accepting place for cancer patients to come together. “Corinne would be so thrilled and touched by Kin!” Although Keith and Kristina had never met Corinne, Jean is sure they are truly “KINdered spirits!, Corinne’s dream has been fulfilled!”
Astrid, a guest at Kin, finds Kin to be “an amazing place of community that is filled with remarkable people seeking support- physically, mentally, and spiritually. The nurturing restorative practitioners and environment have brought me healing in so many ways.” Astrid has been involved with the cooking and nutrition programs, yoga, reflexology, reiki, acupuncture, had facials and enjoys the library, donated by the Doylestown Bookshop.
Scott, also a guest at Kin, was encouraged by his doctor and his wife to join Kin and attend the yoga classes to help strengthen and rebuild his body as he goes through his intense treatments. He says, “I have begun to have more joy in my life by attending classes at Kin and meeting the incredibly caring people.” Scott has really enjoyed connecting with people who are like himself, a cancer patient going through so much and searching for healing and support. He feels that, “since I have started at Kin, I am finding help in managing my cancer and Kin came to me at just the right time in my journey!”
Caregiver Mary Ellen, when asked about helping her friend Marianne who is battling cancer, responded, “Kin is an amazing place. I am so pleased to be here; it is amazing for friends to be able to attend Kin together. Kin has everything that cancer patients want to help support them during treatment and recovery.” She sees Kin as, “part of the cancer journey, not the rough treatment part, but the good part of the journey, the healing side. Kin is a silver lining in our friendship.”
Ro, an amazing yoga instructor, is so happy to be at Kin donating her services. As a certified instructor, Ro has helped many cancer patients along their journeys. She takes each guest from where they are and sets them up for success in a nurturing manner. I shared with Ro about her kindness and generosity of giving of herself and her gift to Kin. She finds her role as “equally gratifying” and says, “The guests teach me more than I teach them.” Her desired goal is to help the guests reduce their stress and anxiety from the trauma that their minds and body are going through.
Another stand out at Kin, is our always happy greeter who welcomes all who visit. Sunny, a big and fuzzy Labradoodle can’t let a person enter without wagging his tail and offering himself as a joyful stress reliver. Just petting Sunny makes everyone feel welcome. Sunny is Kin’s ultimate “Ambassador of Good Will.”
What a wonderful gift Kin is to Bucks County.
If you would like to experience Kin for yourself, please join us on Saturday, June 18, for a community open house from 1 to 6 p.m. Come and meet the wonderful people who built the Kin Wellness and Support Center. After you experience Kin, you can then share your experience with others in the community, as we all know of someone who has been touched by cancer.
All Kin services are free to local Bucks County cancer patients and their caregivers. You can reach Kin by calling 267-544-5981 or emailing hello@welcometokin.org. Kin is located at: 2325 Heritage Center Drive, Suite 113, Furlong, Pa.
Kin is 100% funded by the community through donations. Visit welcometokin.org.
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
