David's House
David's House offers a comfortable home-away-from-home for families of children receiving care at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. Since opening in 1986, David's House has been a place of refuge and rest for over 12,000 families who have come to Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center to receive medical treatment for their children. As one past resident said, "The hospital is there to heal patients; David's House is there to heal families."
Founded in honor of David Cyr, who died in 1984 at age five, David's House is available to anyone who has a child receiving medical care at Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, and welcomes families to stay as long as their child is in treatment. A voluntary donation of $20 a night is suggested, but only 40 percent of families can afford to pay, and no one is turned away due to lack of funds.
David's House is completely funded by the community and grassroots fundraising. It is located on the campus of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.
To request a room, please call 603-643-2298.
David's House also offers services for families who need a break during the day to wash clothes, have a snack, or relax. For more information, refer to the David's House website.
Rest Easy Program
The Rest Easy Program provides information about local hotels and motels that offer discounted rates, when available, for families of patients.
For more information, refer to the Rest Easy Lodging web page.
Staying in your child's room
Each room has a sleeping chair or cot for a parent. Due to lack of space and our need to have easy access to each patient's bed and equipment, only one parent can stay overnight.
Your sleep may be interrupted by the nursing staff as they check labs, perform exams, and monitor the health and safety of patients during the night.
A parent staying with his or her child may use the shower in the child's room or the shower in the Family Lounge just outside the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Nursing staff will provide extra towels for a parent's use.
Some parents find the sleeping chair uncomfortable. We recommend parents call David's House for other sleeping arrangements as needed.