In 1981 pediatric oncologist Dr. Art Ablin and his wife Debbie, along with parents of oncology patients, bought a building at 50 Irving St. in San Francisco to create Family House. Families stay there while their critically ill children receive treatment at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. The structure is more than a sleeping ground for the families. With communal kitchens, living space and laundry rooms, a sense of community and understanding is formed.