This story first appeared in the 2023 Annual Update.
We hope that anyone who’s suffering will feel embraced, supported, and served with dignity in their home. After seeing how home care helped our family, we want that for everyone,” says Tina Wilson.
Shaw at Home Receives Generous Support to Provide In-Home Cancer Care
While Tina Wilson visited Vail as a youth on family vacations, it wasn’t until after finishing college that she moved to the valley to teach skiing and later kindergarten. “I never knew this other kind of lifestyle was available to me, this outdoor lifestyle. I like the small-town feel of Vail,” says Tina. Vail is also where she met her husband, David, with whom she would have two daughters, Colby and Nicole, both born at Vail Health Hospital. Today, the couple’s love for the community and Tina’s family’s history of philanthropy reflects their commitment to local initiatives, including the Shaw at Home program, an extension of Vail Health Shaw Cancer Center.
In the Comfort of Home
Shaw at Home provides comprehensive at-home support and clinic-based palliative care to Shaw cancer patients, including symptom and pain management, lab draw visits, spiritual and psychosocial support, and more. The goal is to improve the patient experience, reduce suffering, and lower healthcare costs.
“Shaw at Home allows us to care for our patients in an even more intimate way through our ability to learn about their lives and their values,” says Erin Perejda, Supportive Care Services Manager, Shaw at Home. “We can better understand the complexities that they and their loved ones face, and help manage their symptoms in a setting where they can remain comfortable in their own home,” she adds.
Since its launch in June 2023, the program has cared for 59 patients with 354 home visits. Currently, the Shaw at Home team provides at-home support to 22 patients, while 12 receive clinic-based palliative care. The program is expected to continue growing, thanks to the Wilsons’ support. This cause is close to Tina’s heart — her mother’s battle with pancreatic cancer helped fuel her desire to give back.
A Mother’s Battle
Carol, Tina’s mother, was fortunate to receive in-home care in Connecticut while she fought cancer. “I was really touched by the care that she received at home, by the help that they gave us and her,” Tina remembers. The Wilson family’s donation to Shaw at Home extends that support to people in the Eagle River Valley. Tina adds, “We hope that anyone who’s suffering, who’s in pain, who’s sick, who’s in crisis, will feel embraced, supported, and served with dignity in their home. After seeing how home care helped our family, we want that for everyone.”
A Legacy Of Giving
In addition to donating to Vail Health, Tina’s parents were dedicated to giving back. “My mom was that mom who volunteered for everything,” Tina recalls. Her mother’s active involvement in community service, including serving as PTA president and volunteering for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, set a powerful example for Tina. This legacy of giving back was something Tina and David instilled in their now-grown daughters, participating in activities like the Salvation Army Adopt a Family and encouraging a culture of giving in their family.
Thanks to their generous support, Shaw at Home will have the opportunity to continue impacting the lives of Shaw cancer patients, allowing them to receive personalized, compassionate care in the comfort and familiarity of their homes. “A lot of people want to be at home; they want to be with their loved ones,” David says.
“I think it’s important, especially at the end of your life, to be supported in how you want to spend your last days. To us, that’s what Shaw at Home is and why we wanted to give it our support.”David Wilson