After Camp Arroyo opened, it became clear a state-of-the-art infirmary was of utmost importance to accommodate camper groups with some of the most medically fragile children. At about the same time, Ian Bremner, Founder and Executive Director at RES Success, contacted The Taylor Family Foundation (TTFF). Ian was friends of Dr. David Jablons, a surgeon at UCSF and his wife Dr. Tamara Hicks who worked at RES Success.

While hospice homes – places a family would move into to prepare for a child’s passing – are customary in Scotland where Ian’s family hailed from, in the states, it’s not a common practice. Ian wanted to build a hospice home to honor his young niece who had died of brain cancer. Elaine offered a way to keep her spirit alive forever, in a sweet and joyful way.

Elaine shared that TTFF needed an infirmary and after, offered to name it after his niece. Ian loved the idea and committed to helping TTFF build a new infirmary. Over the next two years, he fundraised on his own to raise the money needed to get the infirmary built. In 2004 the new infirmary opened, christened Sarah’s House, after Ian’s niece.

The infirmary contains five hydraulic medical tables, a laundry room with washer and dryer, half kitchen, bathroom, and a workspace for the doctors and nurses who’d volunteer with the camp groups. The infirmary accommodated requests from each camp group including deep soaking tubs, where campers could get some relief when it comes time to have their bandages changed. The interior was decorated with dragonflies, which were a favorite of Sarah’s. With the onset of iPads and handheld devices, the TV’s that once kept campers occupied during painful treatments have become a thing of the past! Now being able to have distractions in the palm of their hands, campers are able to have a distraction during their time spent in the infirmary.

In 2013, Fremont Bank Foundation provided a grant for some needed updates to Sarah’s House. It was used to replace the infirmary’s floor, update the medical desks and install wireless capability.