New Star Room at Cross Cancer Institute gives comfort for patients

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For more than a decade, the Matt Cook Foundation has helped many young adults undergoing cancer treatment through the 105 care packages they’ve provided to patients during their stay at the Cross Cancer Institute.

Cook received more than 30 rounds of chemotherapy at the Cross Cancer Institute throughout his cancer battle.

His family saw first-hand how difficult it was for Cook, who was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at 18, until his death in 2010 at the age of 22, and wanted patients to feel a level of comfort in their fight against cancer.

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But those involved with the Foundation have always wanted to do more, and last month after eight years of hard work, they unveiled a one-of-a-kind room at the Cross Cancer Institute — in honour of Cook.

Room 3141 at the facility is now known as The Star Room, and it will give patients a feeling a comfort. A home-away-from-home.

‘Closer to home’

“Our goal is about trying to support the patient, and give them an experience to being closer to home and have a welcoming environment for them to come into and not be afraid,” said Cook’s mother Lynn Cook.

“We want visitors to come in and feel like they’re visiting them at home. We want patients to feel like they’re at the next best place they can be, if they can’t be at home.”

The state-of-the-art room is made with a more welcoming environment. The ceiling above the bed features a solar system of lights and with a push of a button, the patient can escape from their painful cancer treatments and see thousands of stars and the milky way.

The room has a Murphy bed that drops down from the wall. A large entertainment system, so the patient can watch movies and TV, and play video games. The bathroom has features you’d see in a spa, including heated floors.

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The walkout blinds can be controlled, and the patient can change the lighting that best suits them with how they’re feeling at any moment. The room is equipped with several coloured theme lights to fit whatever the mood the patient is in.

“Everything in this room was created with Matthew in mind. Matt is the force behind all of this,” said Lynn.

“During Matthew’s hospital stay, we knew the struggles he had. We knew the comforts of home he wanted. As a family he talked to us, and he wanted people who were going through the fight with cancer like he did to be able feel more comfort.

“When you’re a patient getting cancer treatment, that’s the focus, but there are so many other aspects of how it affects you. You may have to stop your life to receive treatment for cancer, and Matthew always thought the experience could be better.”

Cook attended St. Francis Xavier high school and was building a promising hockey career. He was in his rookie season with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Bonnyville Pontiacs when he was first diagnosed with the rare bone cancer.

He had to have his leg amputated at 19, and then shifted his focus to playing sledge hockey and was part of the national team and had a goal of representing Canada at the Paralympics in Vancouver in 2010, but fell too ill, and died a few short weeks after the Paralympics.

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Since Cook’s passing, those involved in the foundation that bears his name have done everything they can to provide support for young adults battling cancer.

Time and dedication

This project took a lot of time and dedication from volunteers and board members to make it come to fruition.

Stark Architecture stepped up and donated its services and Delnor Construction built the room. Those who knew Cook through the Edmonton hockey community helped, too.

The idea was first sparked in 2016, and after going through design and planning stages, construction began in 2018, but then the pandemic hit, putting the project on the shelf for an extended period.

But the belief in building this room never wavered — and it’s finished now, and several patients have already made use of the room over the last month.

“It was important to us that the people involved in this project understood the construction was more than just a room. There were a lot of personal and emotional commitments behind it,” said Lynn.

“Everyone came with a personal commitment that they would make it something spectacular. Everyone who was part of this team has been touched by cancer or has experienced a loss.”

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Members of the foundation will continue to deliver care packages to patients going through treatment at the Cross. It’s something they’ve done for the past 12 years, and they’ve seen first-hand how much that program matters to the patients.

The Star Room is extension of those care packages, and Cook’s legacy will continue to live strong through all the young cancer patients impacted from years past and in the future.

“Matthew and his story … and the community of Edmonton and beyond thinks what we do matters, and they support us,” said Lynn.

“He would be very proud. I know that Matt would be happy that there is an opportunity for patients to have a more comfortable while they’re getting in-patient care. His legacy will always be with us.”

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