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Our History
Brent’s Place was founded by Donn and Linda Eley as a tribute to their son, Brent, who was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma at the age of thirteen in 1987. Because of his aggressive and rare type of pediatric cancer, Brent required a bone marrow transplant, the best chance for survival. However, no facility in his hometown was able to provide this treatment, which meant the family was forced to relocate to Iowa for more than six months. Not only were they separated from their community of support during the most challenging time of their lives, the difficult responsibility of finding and maintaining a safe and clean "home away from home" for their immune-compromised son fell squarely on their own shoulders. This burden only added to the financial, psychological, and emotional toll they faced during this medical crisis. Sadly, following a brave fight, Brent passed away. Though they were heartbroken, the Eleys were committed to helping other families experiencing a similar struggle. They spent the next nine years raising funds in support of pediatric cancer programs in Brent’s honor, and in 1998, shortly after the Brent Eley Foundation was established, the first Brent's Place facility opened its doors. Since then, we have provided a Safe-Clean home away from home to thousands of families from around the country and across the globe. Scroll down to see how it happened.
25 Years of Brent's Place
1987
Brent Eley, age 13, is diagnosed with a fast growing malignant cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. The Eley family travels to Iowa City for Brent to receive a bone marrow transplant – the treatment that offered the most hope for a cure. Sadly, after 162 days the Eleys return home without Brent.
1988
The first Kid's Cure for Cancer event is held as a tribute to Brent.
1997
Inspired by the courage and spirit of Brent, his parents Donn and Linda Eley establish the Brent Eley Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization.
2001
1998
The first Brent's Place facility opens its doors. The 100-year old building hosts five fully furnished apartments, addressing the need in the Denver area for Safe-Clean accommodations suitable for patients following bone marrow transplants.
A second Brent's Place facility opens on Marion Street in Denver offering an additional six fully furnished apartments, bringing the total number of apartments to 11.
2005
Four acres of land are purchased in Aurora, Colorado, one mile from the Anschutz Medical Campus development - home to the new Children's Hospital Colorado - with the intent of building a facility in close proximity to the hospital.
2009
Brent's Place opens its new state-of-the-art 18-unit facility in Aurora, just blocks away from the new Children's Hospital Colorado and Anschutz Medical Campus.
2015
The capital campaign for a second location, tentatively named Brent's Place Too, begins with the goal of raising $8 million for a new 21-unit facility.
2013
Brent's Place is operating at full capacity, sparking a feasibility study and discussion of expansion to meet the growing need of patient families and hospital partners.
2017
Brent's Place opens a second building on its Aurora campus, Tanner's House, in honor of Children’s Hospital Colorado patient Tanner Seebaum. Within ten days, the new building is filled with families seeking support, bringing the total number of Brent's Place units in Aurora to 44.
2019
Brent’s Place again expands its capacity to serve by innovating its operations model and leasing 15 units at the newly developed The Forum Apartments at Fitzsimmons located across the street from Anschutz Medical Campus. These units were identified as an opportunity to extend the Brent’s Place care model to more patient families seeking a medical miracle at partner hospitals University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado.
2020
Even as a global pandemic threatens communities across the globe, Brent's Place is able to protect its medically vulnerable population, safely housing 251 families and providing innovative virtual programming to aid in community-building.
2021
Brent’s Place discontinues use of its original Marion Street location to expand service capacity for hospital partner Presbyterian St. Luke, leasing 12 apartments at the newly erected high-rise apartment building Park 17. Seeing an increase in both its adult service population and single organ transplant families, Brent’s Place also adds three additional apartments at Forum. This brings the total number of units serving both pediatric and adult patients and their families to 62 apartments and six hospitality suites.
2022
Emerging from the grip of the global pandemic, Brent’s Place celebrates 25 years of compassionate care with organizational growth and expanded family service on the horizon.
