The Cupertino Courier
News
JW House is finally becoming a reality
By Paul Lukes
While 16-year-old Jan-Willem (JW) Knapen was being treated for three inoperable brain tumors, he dreamed of building a house at Kaiser Permanente Hospital on Homestead at Lawrence Expressway, where families could stay with their loved ones during long hospitalizations.
He wanted this house to be a place for brothers and sisters to talk quietly, a place for moms and dads and grandparents to be able to eat together, a place to talk with other families who were facing similar challenges--a place that felt like a "home away from home."
With the help of his oncologist, Dr. Alan Wong, his high school music teacher, Barbara Mount, plus dozens of other volunteers and JW's family, who have worked tirelessly, JW's dream is becoming a reality.
What started with a $10,000 check from friends and family in his native Belgium has grown to a building fund of more than $1.7 million.
TBI Construction, which is building the house, has gotten the building trades and labor union to donate goods and services, and, if the weather continues to cooperate, the four-bedroom home should be complete in mid-April.
JW House is located on the cherry orchard that belonged to Helen Marchese Owen's family before they sold it to Kaiser. Owen, who grew up on a nearby ranch and was a Cupertino resident for more than 30 years, is one of the major fundraisers for JW House.
The Kaiser construction has been of interest to many Sunnvyale neighborhoods because of its proximity.
By July 2005, only a year after JW set out to build his dream house, he had been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including proclamations from the city of Cupertino, the state of California and U.S. Congress. He was also presented with the Jefferson Award for Public Service and a personal letter from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
But on Aug. 3, 2005, JW lost his fight. Since then, those he touched have continued fulfilling his dream.
"JW's generous spirit and determination to make a better future for other families touched by illness is inspirational and humbling," Wong says.
At the age of 14, JW had a normal life--he was a freshman in high school, played bongos for his church and school choirs, enjoyed drawing and sculpting and was the loving big brother and oldest son of a close-knit Belgian family.
But over Thanksgiving break in 2002, JW began to have seizures and was quickly diagnosed with three different brain tumors. Over the next three years, his grueling fight against brain cancer included surgery, radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
His mother, Anne-Marie, says, "In sixth grade, and only because it was a requirement of his art teacher, Mrs. Evans at Los Gatos Christian School, JW started drawing in sketchbooks. Before then, he would draw on small pieces of paper or on his tests, his school stuff or other 'inappropriate' spots and places."
Although most of those early works are gone, a collection of JW's art is being published through the cooperation of Chris Leo of Leo Graphics, to help raise funds for the operation of JW House.
The collection of JW's artwork will be on sale at the fourth annual JW House Holiday Music Celebration and Family Festival on Dec. 2 at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, 710 Lawrence Expressway, Santa Clara (west lobby), in conference rooms A 1-5, with doors opening at 1:30 p.m.
There will be refreshments, music, singing and dancing with entertainment and games for young and old alike. Pictures will be taken to commemorate the festive day. Additional features will include an Art on the Catwalk fashion show and a Parade of Gifts by the JW House Stars.
Advance sale tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children from JW House, P.O. Box 3666, Santa Clara, CA 95055 by Nov. 25, or at the door $10 for adults and $5 for children.
For more information about JW's dream visit the JW House website at www.jwhouse.org.
Vicky Prapong, JW's child life specialist at Kaiser Permanente, contributed to this article.
