We at Family House mourn the loss of Dr. Art Ablin, beloved Co-Founder of our organization and a true visionary.
Art was Professor Emeritus at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, where
he served as Chief of Pediatric Oncology, and was a leader in his
field. Art was both a general pediatrician and pediatric oncologist who
treated scores of young patients since the 1950s, as well as a friend
and mentor to countless folks lucky enough to know him. Among his many
good works is the creation of Family House in 1981, which started
because of his vision and commitment to all families whose children face
cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Out of a desire to provide family-centered care in partnership with
UCSF, Art’s vision was to provide free housing and basic needs for the
families of seriously ill young patients. In the 1980s, Art noticed many
of his young patients’ family members sleeping in their cars or in
hospital waiting rooms, unable to pay for a hotel. “Family House was set
up as cost-free place for families to stay, but also as a center based
very much on communal experience, so these families could share with
each other what they were going through,” Art said.
In 1981, Art and others raised nearly $500,000 to buy housing from
the Mormon Church that sat adjacent to the UCSF Children’s Hospital
(later UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital), with the intention of
providing housing for patients’ families. With the opening of the new
Nancy and Stephen Grand Family House, Debbie and Art Ablin have ensured
that families will always have a home to turn to when patients need
medical attention in San Francisco.
While Art was a highly regarded physician and internationally
sought-after speaker on the topic of pediatric hematology, his
compassion and unwavering dedication to children and families at Family
House for the past 36 years has produced a model of community that we
celebrate this day and every day of the year. Those of us who had the
unbelievable pleasure of working with Art since Family House was founded
36 years ago know that his talent, passion, wisdom, humor, and loving
spirit infuse every aspect of our organization and the work we do for
kids and families. Art’s inherent talent for nurturing what is best in
us will live on as we are inspired by his values and humanity.
From all of us and the thousands of families that have stayed at
Family House, we will remember Art with the great respect and love that
he gave so freely to others.
We are so lucky to have known him and will miss him deeply.
