How One Guest’s Sticky Notes Spread Smiles at Hope Lodge
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Neil Erickson left his first sticky note on Abby’s door.
The two were fellow guests at the American Cancer Society Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge??in Houston, and Neil could tell Abby?—?a young cancer survivor like himself — was having?a hard day.
“I could tell Abby needed a?pick-me-up,” Neil said. “So,?I wrote a small note on her door, just a simple phrase of encouragement.”
What began as a simple act of kindness for Abby soon turned into sticky notes everywhere and for?just about everyone?at the Hope Lodge in Houston.?Notes were found in elevators, near the microwave ovens in the kitchen, and outside guests’ doors.
“It definitely brought a smile to everyone’s face,” said Hope Lodge General Manager Maggie Williamson, who often overheard guests chatting about the notes. “Guests were so touched by all the positive phrases, and they looked forward to seeing another one pop up somewhere.”
Neil even made a smiley face from the brightly colored squares on his window for guests to?enjoy from?the courtyard below.
“After meeting several other guests, I realized everyone needed?encouragement,” he said. "Who couldn’t use some encouragement?"
For Neil, the notes became more than messages. They were a way to cope with his own journey, connect with others, and give back during one of the most challenging periods of his life.
Saved by a second opinion
In October 2023, at the age of 35, Neil noticed a lump on the left side of his face, just under his earlobe.?It was about the size of a marble and wasn’t painful at the time.?His doctor thought it might be a swollen lymph node and wanted him to come back in three months for a follow-up.
“That didn’t quite sit right with me, so I got a second opinion,” Neil said.
An ultrasound and CT scan showed suspicious findings that required a biopsy. After surgery to collect a tissue sample, Neil was diagnosed with a type of head and neck cancer called mucoepidermoid carcinoma in his parotid salivary gland on April 1, 2024. While rare overall, it is the most common type of salivary gland?cancer.”Neil?underwent extensive neck surgery during which his?parotid gland?and about two dozen lymph nodes were removed.?After surgery, his oncologist recommended 30 treatments of proton radiation therapy, a type of radiation therapy.
Under most circumstances, the three-hour round-trip drives every day from his hometown of Magnolia, Texas, to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for treatment would have been difficult. But for Neil, who suffers partial paralysis and other physical issues from a spinal injury, it would have been almost impossible.
“It’s quite difficult for me to drive, especially for long periods,” Neil said. “My arms go numb and limp.?That’s?where Hope Lodge came in clutch.”
Hope Lodge made treatment possible
For people with cancer who live in rural America, getting quality care can be a challenge. Cancer centers may be hundreds of miles away from many small towns, and the costs and?logistics?of transportation and lodging can be prohibitive.
That was Neil's reality.
"The idea of an hour-and-a-half drive?each way?was quite daunting," he said. "Being on disability, looking at the costs of hotels near the medical center for six weeks was out of the question."
Then, Neil learned?about?Hope?Lodge near the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Neil was able to stay at Hope Lodge for free during his treatment. And his three-hour round-trip drive was now less than 20 minutes.
“Checking into the Hope Lodge was the only time I felt like it was all doable,” Neil said. “Most of my radiation appointments were?scheduled?early in the morning, and being so close to my treatment center made me feel like I could do this. I felt so encouraged.”
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Spreading the love,?with sticky notes
Then came the time to spread?the love. One day, while on a grocery run, Neil grabbed a package of sticky notes – and he began writing.
"Encouraging others encouraged me," he said.
Neil has since returned home, but his time at Hope Lodge left a lasting impact. He stays in touch with Abby and continues to draw strength from the relationships he built with fellow guests during his stay.
"Hope Lodge provided an immeasurable benefit to me,” he said.
Neil’s recent scans showed no evidence of active cancer. He says he still has many months of scans, doctors' visits, and speech and physical therapy ahead of him, while also working to navigate the side effects of radiation to his head and neck.
“I’m not out of the woods yet," Neil said. "But Hope Lodge gave me hope to get through cancer. In fact, this whole journey has taught me there’s still joy living on a cloudy day.”
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