12-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Builds Free Family Housing

A 12-year-old cancer survivor is turning her family's backyard into a lifeline for other children fighting the disease.

Harper Harrell broke ground this week on a housing project that will provide free accommodations for families traveling to Duke Children's Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. The development will sit less than two miles from the hospital where Harper herself received treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Harper was diagnosed at age eight in 2021. Over the next two years, she made more than 100 trips to Duke and spent over 50 days hospitalized for chemotherapy and related care.

Throughout her treatment, Harper noticed something that stuck with her. While she could return to her own bed after each hospital visit, many of the families she met faced long drives or struggled to find affordable housing near the hospital.

"We were able to come into our own house every single time I got out of the hospital, and not everybody had that privilege," Harper told NC Newsline. "We wanted to help everybody else that we possibly could feel that way."

The new project will include two duplexes and two accessory dwelling units on the family's Strebor Street property. Each unit will feature full kitchens, in-unit laundry, and enough space for families to stay together during treatment.

Harper's mother, Heather Hindin, founded the nonprofit Harper's Home to make the vision a reality. The organization already operates rental properties about four miles from Duke, providing free housing since September 2025.

So far, Harper's Home has provided more than 300 nights of free accommodations to families traveling more than 40 miles for care. The new backyard project will allow them to serve even more families when it's completed in 10 to 15 months.

The Ripple Effect

The timing couldn't be better. More than 3,200 families traveled over 40 miles to reach Duke Children's Hospital in 2025, a 33% increase from the previous year.

"When a child is in treatment, families need more than a place to sleep," Hindin explained. "They need to stay together, hold onto a sense of normalcy, and remain close to the care their child depends on."

Matthew Rougeux, vice president for general services at Duke University Hospital, attended the groundbreaking ceremony. He praised Harper's Home as an example of how personal experience can transform into community support.

The first phase requires about $800,000 in funding. Harper's Home has raised most of that amount and is working to close the remaining $275,000 gap.

Harper famously rang the bell marking the end of her treatment during a Duke basketball game in February 2024. Now she's building a place where other families can find comfort while their children fight the same battle she won.