Laguna Beach, Calif. — Before finding Modern-Shed, Jack had to live out of a hotel room due to undergoing cancer treatment.

Diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer in March of 2014, Jack has since endured several treatment therapies, including radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

Every two weeks, Jack undergoes chemotherapy treatment at the hospital infusion center, however, the drugs have had an unfortunate side effect for his wife, Linda.

“My wife is allergic to it and gets sick from it,” he said. “The chemicals degas like all chemicals, and because of their residual nature, she is still able to taste the chemo in the air if she is too close to me.”

The couple knew they had to find a separate structure so that Jack could live at home full-time in the backyard, so they researched several options, like modular units, before finding Modern-Shed.

In November of last year, Jack got in touch with Modern-Shed dealer Jeff Bergerson.

“I told him what my needs were and he took a definite interest in my situation and what my wife and I were going through,” he said. “I got in touch with the city and looked into the necessary permits.”

Jeff and the Modern-Shed team helped Jack design a custom Modern-Shed that actually features two sheds instead of one, to maximize the square footage of the space that Jack and his wife had to work with in the backyard.

 

Jack worked with a local architect and local contractors on plumbing and electrical as well.

“Jeff was very helpful in working with my architect,” Jack said. “The foundation had to be perfectly done with the plumbing and the electrical on the walls, and Jeff helped to make sure it was correct.” 

In the 300-square-foot Modern-Shed space, which Jack and his wife dub “The Casitas,” Jack has most of the conveniences of home, including a wardrobe, refrigerator, separate bathroom, washer, dryer and stovetop.

 

“My wife makes our meals in the house and we can either go eat outside, where the wind blowing helps dissipate the chemicals outside, or I can go ahead and eat at the Casitas,” he said.

Having a Modern-Shed means “everything” to Jack and Linda.

“The Modern-Shed solution help us live together on the same property,” he said. “Modern-Sheds typically don’t have someone living in them, but we’re very happy with it, with the beautiful, high ceilings that come with it.”

Jack relies on his strong Christian faith and optimism to buoy him.

“You can imagine that with the diagnosis of Stage IV cancer, certainly it’s an emotional time as well as a medical healing time,” he said. “This Modern-Shed really does help overwhelmingly with dealing with cancer itself and the treatments.”