After spending nearly two and a half years in and out of Duke Children’s Hospital, 12-year-old Harper Harrell is finding a way to give back to families in similar situations.
Harper and her mother, Heather Hinden, created Harper’s Home, a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing to families who travel more than 40 miles to access medical care at Duke Children’s Hospital.
“We live less than two miles from Duke Children’s, and we realized pretty quickly during treatment how fortunate we were to live in such close proximity to such an amazing hospital,” Hinden said.
Many families she met are not that lucky. In 2024 alone, more than 2,400 families traveled over 40 miles for care at Duke Children’s Hospital. On average, they spent 12 days in the hospital.
For children with cancer, being close to the hospital can be life-saving. In cancer patients, especially children, their white blood cell count can drop rapidly and unexpectedly. When this happens, there is a 60-minute window to treat patients before they could potentially become septic. This window is called “The Golden Hour.”
Harper knows that struggle first-hand. She was diagnosed with leukemia in October of 2021. At that time, her mother worked at the Emily K. Center, an educational center in Durham that was co-founded by Duke University’s Head Coach, Michael Krzyzewski.
“The day I was diagnosed, he called my mom and was like, ‘Is there anything we can do to help, like anything?’” Harrel said. “And a few hours later, the head of the hospital was there because he knew them.”
Since then, the family has raised thousands for the foundation. They donated $27,000 from selling t-shirts they designed with slogans saying Peace out Cancer, Brave like Harper.
In Feb. 2024, she rang the bell, signifying the end of treatment. She is working on reaching her second year in remission.
This project is made possible by several private donors, federal grants and local tradespeople donating their time.
While there is a suggested donation of nightly rates, accommodations are available to all on a sliding scale.
The mother and daughter said what brought them peace during that time was being able to come home, lie with their dogs and sleep in their own beds.
“We wanted to be able to give other families the opportunity to feel that same level of comfort, coziness, belonging, and safety through Harper’s Home,” said Hinden.
For Harper, making the home dog-friendly was a non-negotiable.
“Being with our dogs and having our own place to come home to was so special, and it meant everything to us. So I can only assume it means as much to them,” Harper said.
There are currently eight units open in the Duke Homestead area, with plans for more homes in the Northgate Park community. Hinden will meet with the City of Durham in November to finalize building plans.
Harper has a message for families who will soon call Harper’s Home their own
“It’s not your fault that this happened. It’s not something you can help, especially cancer. It’s not something you did,” Harrell said. “There is always going to be someone who is going to be there for you. – you might just need to find the right people. We are so proud of you and excited for you to be staying at Harper’s Home.”