As Kathy's House in Wauwatosa nears the final stages of raising $12 million for a new and larger building, a Delafield resident is in the center of it all.
Patty Metropulos became the president and CEO of Kathy's House more than seven years ago and is helping the nonprofit hospital guest house raise money for its new facility, scheduled to open in summer 2020. It will be on 3.6 acres in Wauwatosa on North 92nd Street between Doyne and Wisconsin avenues, near the Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center.
Kathy’s House opened in 2001 with support from Judy and Dick Vogel, the parents of Kathy Vogel Kuettner, who died in 2000 at age 39 from a rare form of cancer.
Metropulos grew up in Wauwatosa and Elm Grove, but worked in public education for about 15 years in finance and community and government relations in the Pacific Northwest. She entered the nonprofit world in 2004.
Since she arrived at Kathy's House in 2012, Metropulos said the biggest change has been the number of guests served.
"I think we have much greater name recognition now than when we did when I got here," Metropulos said. "We have put in a lot of effort into raising our profile and raising our visibility."
Kathy's House had 1,502 guests last year and turned away 600 people because it didn't have rooms available for them. The new building will have 36 rooms, compared with 18 at its current site.
The nonprofit leases a building on the campus of St. Camillus, a retirement community at 600 N. 103rd St. in Wauwatosa. St. Camillus, which is expanding, opted not to renew the lease, which ends in 2021.
"When we do move, we'll be in a much more visible location," Metropulos said. "I think that will really help with brand recognition and educating people on who we are and what we do."
Although Kathy’s House has served guests from all 50 states, most who stay at the house live in northeastern Wisconsin, where access to advanced treatments for complex diseases such as cancer or organ failure can be limited.
According to Metropulos, nearly 90% of guests have cancer or a loved one with cancer. She noted that more than 40% of patient guests report they would be unable to receive the care they need without Kathy’s House.
Metropulos said demand for lodging at Kathy’s House has grown by 75% over the past six years, and the house is often at capacity. On average, guests donate $32 per night, but no one is refused housing if they cannot donate.
A lead pledge of $6 million from Froedtert Hospital set the stage for the fundraising campaign, which launched Aug. 27, 2019. At the same time, Kathy's House also announced that 80% of the $12 million had already been raised, much of it a gift from Froedtert Health.
In her seven years with Kathy's House, Metropulos has helped the organization prepare for the future.
"I don't want to speak for Kathy Vogel Kuettner, but I'd like to think she'd be very proud of the impact that the house has had on people," Metropulos said.
Contact Evan Frank at (262) 361-9138 or evan.frank@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @Evanfrank_LCP.
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A Delafield resident is one of the key figures in helping Kathy's House raise $12 million for a new building - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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