COLUMBIA, S.C. (SCDVA) - The Columbia VA Health Care System Fisher House held an early celebration of its first anniversary on April 12. The 15,000 sq. ft. Fisher House was completed in 2022 and dedicated on April 21, 2023. Since its dedication, more than 100 families have been served. For the families that stayed in the Fisher House, it proved to be a home away from home as they received treatment. Marine Corps Captain (Retired) James Daniel Hayes, a Vietnam Veteran, and his wife Lucille attended the ceremony, showing their appreciation for the help they received. The Hayes' live in Barnwell, SC and would have had to travel more than 130 miles roundtrip per day for treatment if they had not been accommodated by the Columbia Fisher House.

"We spent five weeks here. I had throat cancer and I had to go down for radiation treatment. And of course, it was a 29-day visit. We were blessed to have been told about the Fisher House. I knew nothing about the Fisher House initially. One day before my appointment for my treatment started, I found out about this place," said Capt. Hayes. "They treated us like queens and kings. They were helpful. I cannot say thank you enough for all the goodness that they have done. I will go out into the world and everyone that I see as a Veteran, I will let them know that there is a Fisher House here in Columbia."

Connie Shugart, a Veteran widow and an inaugural guest in the Fisher House, also came to show her support for the place that gave her family so much comfort when they needed it most. Shugart first learned about the Columbia Fisher House on Memorial Day of 2023, three days after her husband came to the hospital for treatment.

"It was just a godsend for my family. We were loved, cherished, comforted. It was just so easy to come back here at night after spending the day with my husband and being refreshed to go back to the hospital the next day," said Shugart. Shugart's husband returned to the hospital for treatment again June 2 and later passed away on June 14. Shugart and her husband had been married for more than 46 years. Her husband had congestive heart failure, multiple strokes and had been paralyzed for 11 years before he died.

"His heart was only working at 15-percent. The last time I brought him in, he was having A-fib and a heart attack, and he never recovered from that." During this ordeal, Shugart found solace in the staff working at the Fisher House, stating that they made sure that her family's needs were met every step of the way. "This was our family while my husband was in the hospital. When he passed, they grieved with us and made everything so much better. I just don't think I could have handled what I had to go through without them," said Shugart.

Within a year of operation, the Columbia Fisher House managed to expand its reach beyond the Palmetto State, aiding a woman who lives almost 700 miles away in New Jersey. Frances Dauria was with her 85-year-old traveling companion heading to Fort Myers, Florida to visit his sons when he fell ill. Dauria accidently got off on the wrong exit and ended up in Columbia where here companion was sent to the Dorn VA Hospital Emergency Room. A doctor informed Dauria of the Columbia Fisher House and asked if she would be interested in staying while her companion recovered from their emergency surgeries.

"Of course, I didn't know what Fisher House was being from New Jersey, and she brought me over here, and it has been absolutely spectacular," said Dauria. "I've been here for three weeks. Just where would I be if it wasn't for Fisher House? There is no possible way I could have stayed in a hotel for three weeks. And every everyone, if you have any problem, they immediately make a phone call and solve everything. Getting off at the wrong exit was the biggest blessing."

The Columbia Fisher House offers its services to Veterans, their families, and their caregivers at no cost. It's important to the Veteran community because of the invaluable support that it provides. Columbia Fisher House Manager Candler Rhodes believes that the house is a great opportunity to continue to honor our nation's heroes.

"It is an honor. I've been serving Veterans and their dependents for 25 years, and I feel like this is a wonderful culmination of all of my skills to be able to serve caregivers with the knowledge from VA and VHA," said Rhodes. "I'm able to provide support. I'm able to answer questions and point them in the direction if they need help with a claim and things like that. So, I feel like it's a blessing for me to be here, to be able to help care for these caregivers."

To learn more or support the Columbia VA Fisher House CLICK HERE.