Stories
The Gift of Time: A Family’s Journey Through Pancreatic Cancer
This Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, we’re sharing the story of one family whose journey reminds us that when someone is facing cancer, time together is one of the greatest gifts of all.
Shortly after his 80th birthday, Fred Kirchhoff received news that would change life for him and his wife, Faith. He had Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Suddenly, their days were filled with medical appointments, difficult decisions, and the uncertainty that comes with a cancer diagnosis.
When Fred learned he would need radiation treatments at CARTI in Little Rock, the family faced another challenge.
Their home was 90 miles away.
Already weakened and in pain, Fred struggled with long car rides. For Faith, 75, the thought of driving nearly four hours round trip each day was overwhelming. With weeks of treatment ahead, they began looking into hotels near CARTI.
Then one phone call changed everything.
Finding a Village Close to Cancer Care
Through Kari Hall at the CARTI Foundation, along with Gail Ferguson and Jennifer Selig, the Kirchhoffs learned that an apartment was available at Goodness Village.
They had never heard of Goodness Village before.
“What a perfect name,” Faith shared. “The GOODNESS we were shown by this group was so appreciated in this very depressing time.”
The family expected a furnished apartment close to Fred’s treatments. What they found was so much more.
When their daughter, Wendi, arrived, she immediately noticed a wagon in the living room, perfect for transporting Fred’s medications, wheelchair, luggage, and groceries.
Chicken spaghetti was waiting in the freezer. A bag filled with snacks and encouraging notes sat on the table. And with two bedrooms, Fred had a quiet place to rest while Faith and Wendi had room to make themselves at home.
“We expected just an apartment,” Faith said. “Little did we know what Goodness Village had planned for us.”
More Than Miles Saved
Fred’s radiation schedule was eventually shortened from five and a half weeks to three and a half. But the time the family spent at Goodness Village became an important part of their journey.
Wendi, a teacher from Texas, had planned to spend part of her summer with her dad. Thanks to their apartment, those precious weeks didn’t have to revolve around long drives to and from treatment.
Instead, they had time together.
Time to share meals. Time to talk about family memories. Time for Fred to rest comfortably whenever he needed to.
“This apartment gave us the quality time as a family without the daily stressful traveling,” Faith shared.
For families facing pancreatic cancer, so much can feel uncertain. Appointments, treatment schedules, and medical decisions can quickly take over everyday life.
But being together shouldn’t have to be another challenge.
At Goodness Village, the Kirchhoffs had a place where they could simply be a family.
The Little Things That Made It Home
The apartment itself was a blessing, but it was the kindness of the people surrounding them that Faith remembers most.
Goodness Village volunteer Dianna Ballinger kept in touch throughout their stay, calling, texting, and visiting the family. She even brought homemade cookies.
“We feel we now have a new friend in our life,” Faith said.
Then there was Fred’s quilt.
Handmade by Kathryn, a member of the Kingdom Quilters at Fellowship Bible Church, the quilt became one of the family’s most treasured reminders of their time at Goodness Village.
“I hope she knows ‘we feel her hugs’ as we use it,” Faith shared.
Fred also received a copy of Jesus Calling, which he and Faith began reading together each morning.
There were meals prepared with care, encouraging notes from volunteers and churches, and friendly check-ins to make sure the family had everything they needed.
No single gesture stood out above the rest.
Together, they made an unfamiliar place feel like home.
A Little Less Worry, A Lot More Time Together
Being close to CARTI changed the rhythm of the Kirchhoffs’ days.
Instead of spending hours on the road, Fred could return to the apartment after treatment and rest. On better days, the family could enjoy lunch together or take a short drive.
The stay also gave Faith an unexpected opportunity to receive radiation treatments for severe arthritis in her hands, something she said she likely would have postponed if she’d been driving Fred back and forth each day.
Goodness Village couldn’t change Fred’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis or the difficult road his family was walking.
But for three and a half weeks, we could help carry one of their worries.
No exhausting daily commute. No crowded hotel room. No wondering where Fred could comfortably rest.
Just a place close to care, with room for the people he loved.
The Gift of Time
Looking back, Faith believes their journey to Goodness Village began with one perfectly timed phone call.
“I feel God had His hand in this from that moment I called Kari at CARTI Foundation,” she shared. “This will always be the most special moment of his journey.”
The Kirchhoffs were so touched by their experience that they decided to give back. Using part of a travel allowance from their cancer insurance policy, they made donations through CARTI Foundation and Goodness Village to help other families facing similar circumstances.
But when Faith reflects on their stay, the greatest gift wasn’t simply the miles they didn’t have to drive.
It was the moments they gained.
Time for Wendi to sit with her dad. Time for Fred to rest. Time for family stories, shared meals, and conversations that might otherwise have been lost to long days on the road.
“We have so many wonderful memories which will help us get through the cloudy days ahead,” Faith said.
This Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, We Remember Why Time Matters
Pancreatic cancer affects more than the person receiving treatment. It changes routines, challenges families, and often brings loved ones together in unfamiliar places during incredibly difficult seasons.
At Goodness Village, we see firsthand how much it matters to have a comfortable place to return to after a long day of cancer treatment.
A place to rest. A place to share a meal. A place to be together.
Fred and Faith’s story reminds us that while we can’t take away a cancer diagnosis, we can help make the journey a little less difficult.
And sometimes, the greatest gift we can give a family isn’t something you can wrap or put a price on.
It’s the gift of time together.
Help Give Another Family the Gift of Home
This Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, you can help families like the Kirchhoffs stay close to the care they need without sacrificing precious time together.
Your generosity helps Goodness Village provide fully furnished apartments, everyday comforts, and a caring community for patients and families traveling to Little Rock for medical treatment.