The Garden of Hope and Courage

After 14 years of planning and fundraising, Richard D'Amico and lifetime friend Bob Emfield, along with co-founders of Tommy Bahama, Tony Margolis and Lucio Dalla Gasperina, officially introduced the GARDEN OF HOPE and COURAGE to the Naples Community at the Naples Music Festival on April 4th, 2004.
"The GARDEN is the dream of Bob's late wife Jan, who died from Breast Cancer in 1994, and is the fulfillment of our promise to her and our gift to those who's lives have been touched by this horrific disease," says D'Amico. Jan Emfield was diagnosed with cancer in 1990. She underwent treatment regime typical in the 90’s including radiation, chemotherapy, lumpectomy and mastectomy. Jan’s idea for the garden came while sitting in her English style backyard garden on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. She would regularly meet in her garden with fellow cancer patients. They called her garden the garden of courage and it was in that garden that she would jot down notes and ideas for the garden she began to envision – both how it might look but also how it might be used. Jan had been in remission for almost three years when the doctors determined that the cancer had metastasized to her bones.
As Jan’s condition worsened, Richard D’Amico would bring dinner over to her regularly from his restaurants in Minneapolis. Once he asked what else he could do for her and her response was, “well since you’re asking me, here’s what you can do for me. You can see that the Garden of Hope and Courage becomes a reality.

The GARDEN at NCH is hoped to be the first of several gardens on hospital campuses around the country. D'Amico said that because of its relationship with the Lutgert Cancer Pavilion, they have had preliminary discussions with Duke University Hospitals about potential sites for future gardens. The GARDEN OF HOPE and COURAGE provides a place of peaceful reflection and for patients, their families and hospital staff, particularly physicians, and nurses that care for the sick on a daily basis. The garden will allow patients, families and staff to draw comfort and support at a time when they so desperately need it. The GARDEN OF HOPE and COURAGE occupies approximately 2 acres and be located on the Downtown Naples Hospital Campus of the NCH Healthcare system near the Raymond L. Lutgert Cancer Pavilion. D'Amico and Partners, Inc., through its operating companies and employees, Campiello, D'Amico Cucina, D'Amico and Sons, and Cafe Lurcat, have adopted the GARDEN OF HOPE and COURAGE as its primary charity and have been raising funds for the project through wine dinners and golf tournaments since 1994. For its part, Tommy Bahama has made a company wide commitment to the GARDEN. Since 1996, Tommy Bahama has raised significant funds for the project by donating a percentage of the sale of designated items from their apparel and accessory collections. Each season select items - some specially designed for the project - are chosen as GARDEN OF HOPE and COURAGE styles. "This is an opportunity to pay tribute to Jan and to help others. She would be very proud of that," says Emfield of the company's participation in the project.


On the Downtown Naples Hospital Campus of the NCH Healthcare system at the corner of 2nd Ave and 8th Street North, Naples, Florida

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