2011 - NIH Clinical Center - National Institutes of Health

esearch and humanitarian causes. His namesakeorganization gave millions to the Foundationfor the NIH. Safra’s wife, Lily, serves on thefoundation’s board of directors.A groundbreaking ceremony on October 29,2002, marked the beginning of construction of theFamily Lodge. It was designed by Amy Weinsteinof Weinstein Studio in conjunction with thearchitectural firm Louviere, Stratton andYokel.Designed in the unique style of an early 1900sEnglish Manor House, the lodge offers a retreatto the families and caregivers who make it theirtemporary home.Lily Safra, on making her gift for the building ofthe Family Lodge, said,“We know that whenillness afflicts one person, an entire family cansuffer.The mission of the Edmond J. Safra FamilyLodge is to give those families a place to remainresilient together.”On May 26, 2005, the six-year planning andconstruction project officially came to an endas the Family Lodge was formally dedicatedand opened.When Lily Safra saw the completedbuilding for the first time, she smiled and simplystated,“Beautiful.”How it worksGuests are offered a room at the Family Lodgebased on a priority system. Caregivers of patientsin the intensive care unit are given first priority,followed by those with loved ones in palliative orend-of-life care. Close to 70 percent of guests arefrom the third priority group: those accompanyinga patient having inpatient surgery or admittedfor more than one week.The remaining priorities are fordischarged inpatients (and theirguests) transitioning home andoutpatients (and their guests).The Family Lodge is located atthe corner of Convent and CenterDrives, across the street from the CC.“The proximity of the lodge to theClinical Center offers ease of access,”Ford said.“It gives them one lessthing to worry about and lets themfocus on caring for their loved one.”“Staff are customer service-oriented,but respect the guests’ privacy,” saidEdmond J. Safra Family LodgeExecutive Director LawrenceEldridge. Many want to reflect orrelax alone, while some guests maycare to engage with others, frequentlyin the lodge’s shared kitchen.Special garden settingThrough an additional specialgift to the Foundation forthe NIH made by Lily Safra,landscaping around the FamilyLodge offers visitors a myriadof garden experiences, includingthe more private Claudioand Evelyne Cohen Garden.A peaceful, tranquil venueprovides guests with a place ofrest and refuge from their dayto-dayconcerns in an Englishpark-like setting reminiscent ofthe lodge’s architecture. A pathmeanders along the perimeterof the lodge’s property, and anumber of smaller pathwayslead to more intimate seatingareas. Each is distinctivelytreated with plantings and awater feature. Benches offerguests multiple areas forconversation and reflection.The gardens were designed byMadison Cox Design Inc.National Symphony Orchestraconductor Marvin Hamlischand violinist Marissa Regnipresented a holiday concertat the Edmond J. Safra FamilyLodge in December. It was thethe renown musican’s fifthholiday concert here.ANNUAL REPORT 2011 • 11