Bill and Dianna Hall
Second Home, Second Family
Bill and Dianna Hall say they are blessed to have two homes. One is in a small town called Clintwood, Virginia. Their second home is 196 miles away in Winston-Salem, North Carolina – the SECU Family House.
Their simple small town lives were turned upside down the day Bill’s doctor said, “you’ve got prostate cancer.” After receiving initial discouraging treatment options, the Halls traveled to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist to get a second opinion. Dianna described their Atrium Health consultation as “a burden lifted off our shoulders.” As the doctor described his preferred treatment plan to get Bill back to full health the Halls said “I think we came to the right place.” The doctor said, “I know you did.”
On May 21, Bill underwent surgery to remove most of the cancer. He then was given a choice. Did he want to receive 37 radiation treatments in rural Virginia or stay in Winston-Salem? The Halls said it was a no brainer, they were going to stay.
But driving 4 hours to and from Clintwood, Virginia every couple of days for treatments was not an option. Then the doctor told them about the SECU Family House. Upon stepping foot inside the house Bill said “I’ve never dreamed of a place like this.” Dianna jokes that they “checked into an all-inclusive 5 star hotel.” She says, “I feel so safe here.” They are grateful for the opportunity to stay at the Family House so that Bill can receive the best possible treatment.
It didn’t take them long to settle into their new routine. Dianna and Bill treat the Family House like it is their “home away from home.” In between radiation treatments they stay busy walking the grounds, help with the general cleaning, and spend time talking with other guests. When Bill needs extra time to rest in the quiet of his room, Dianna can be found enjoying a cup of coffee outside on the swing, or in the kitchen helping other guests find what they need.
Their love and devotion to each other is contagious. They bring extra joy into the House with their servants’ hearts and jolly demeanors, despite navigating their own medical crisis. But they don’t travel the road to health alone. They have the support of their Family House family with them every step of the way.
Bill recently finished up his last radiation treatment and the Halls have returned to their first home in Virginia. It is a bittersweet moment, as they consider the people at the Family House their second family. They will return to the Family House for follow up appointments and procedures, but even when they return to Virginia, they will always leave a part of their hearts in North Carolina.