Survivors and volunteers urge Ulster County to intervene after Ruiner Cancer Support House closure

More than a half dozen cancer survivors, former staff and volunteers told the Ulster County Legislature on May 19 that the closure and planned sale of the Ruiner Cancer Support House has left a gap in community cancer support services.

"When I learned it was on the market, I felt like I was being evicted from my own home," said Bonnie Langston, a cancer survivor who described the house as a "home" during treatment.

Ellen Marshall, who led the oncology support program for 15 years, told legislators the program had been in operation more than two decades and that Westchester Medical Center's abrupt changes last summer resulted in significant staffing and program losses. "Saving the Ruiner Cancer Support House is meaningful to program participants," she said, while adding that saving the house alone does not automatically restore program capacity.

Jennifer O'Donnell, whose mother founded the oncology support program, gave figures she said reflected service loss: reduced staff hours, fewer administrative hours and volunteer programming cuts that she said left hundreds of patients without prior supports. Lee Osterhout, a family member of the House's namesakes, said donors and the Runer family had not been adequately consulted.

Legislators placed a resolution opposing the closure on the consent agenda; the clerk noted the consent agenda passed 22 to 0 and the chair confirmed the cancer center support item was in consent and carried. Several speakers urged continued legislative engagement with Westchester Medical Center to preserve services and honor donor intent.

Why it matters: Speakers described the Ruiner Cancer Support House as a trauma‑informed, holistic community resource whose loss affects treatment recovery and the county's network of cancer supports. The legislature's inclusion of a resolution opposing the closure in the consent agenda reflects official attention to the issue.