A First-of-Its-Kind Immersive
and Sacred Space

City of Hope® Orange County has created the first multifaith spiritual care center designed to immerse cancer patients in their healing places.

The Wetterau Family Spiritual Care Center, housed in City of Hope Orange County’s cancer specialty hospital, was intentionally designed to reflect the spiritual diversity of our community.

In creating the spiritual care center, City of Hope Orange County asked patients and their families an important question: “If you feel the need for prayer and you could be in any sacred space, where would you go?”

By making a selection on a touchscreen, patients and their families can choose customized faith experiences featuring the sights, sounds and prayer candles from seven sacred spaces: a chapel, mandir, mosque, synagogue, temple, alpine forest or shorelines.

Chapel

Our call to prayer begins outside of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Enzo Selvaggi focused the original design on the telling of Christ’s story as a healer. Thank you, Jacqueline DuPont Carlson and Marc Carslon.

Alpine Forest

Many cultures share the idea of “forest bathing” as a way to promote health. Alpine Forest is our attempt to bring forest bathing into the hospital.

Temple

Wat Benchamabophit, also known as the Marble Temple, is a stunning Buddhist temple in Bangkok renowned for its use of Italian Carrara marble. The temple embraces traditional Thai architecture with European influences.

Synagogue

Munich's main synagogue Ohel Jakob was chosen because the wall outside the main synagogue doors echoes the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The Star of David stained glass window is from the Spanish synagogue in Prague.

City of Hope Orange County Spiritual Care Center, Shoreline

Shorelines

Many of our patients shared their sacred space is the ocean. Our hope is that Shorelines allows our patients and families to spend time at the beautiful local locations that fill them with a sense of calm wonderment.

Mandir

Our Hindu patients and families shared that the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple complex in Chino Hills is one of the most extraordinary Mandirs in the world. It welcomes people of all faiths.

Mosque

The Green Dome is a prominent feature of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque) in Medina, Saudi Arabia. It is considered the second holiest site in Islam. We extend our gratitude to the Hamoui Foundation.

The Strength of the Human Spirit
Combined With the Latest Technology

Developed by a former Disney imagineer in collaboration with faith leaders from diverse traditions,
our interactive spiritual space provides patients with highly personalized experiences.

Annette Walker, President, City of Hope Orange County — *Annette Walker*

“The Wetterau Family Spiritual Care Center is a sacred space, intentionally created to reflect the rich spiritual diversity of Orange County,” said Annette Walker, president, City of Hope Orange County. “Our spiritual care center reflects City of Hope’s century-long commitment to taking care of our patients’ mind, body and spirit and uses advanced technology to give them a first-of-its-kind faith experience. This will be a sanctuary for our patients, their families and our staff.”

The new center is a natural extension of City of Hope Orange County’s extensive supportive care medicine and integrative oncology services, which emphasize cancer research and therapies focused on the needs of the whole person.

This is about healing — the mind, body and spirt — of everyone who comes through our doors.

A Gift With So Much Meaning

The spiritual care center is named in honor of the Wetterau family, whose decades-long commitment to giving back is well-known in Orange County and beyond. Mark Wetterau, a highly regarded philanthropist, business and civic leader who served as the chair and CEO of Golden State Foods from 1998 to 2023, was the first donor to City of Hope Orange County’s strategic fund.

“Mark was guided by his deep faith, which grounded him during his cancer journey,” said his wife, Virginia Wetterau. “He would have loved this healing and deeply spiritual space. By supporting this visionary place, we are continuing our family legacy of caring for others. We know this will be a place of profound comfort to people in very challenging situations.”

The Inspiration of Innovators, the
Gratitude of a Cancer Survivor

Grateful Patient, Roger Holzberg — *Roger Holzberg*

Walker and City of Hope Orange County Chief Operating Officer Annette Morgan were looking for a solution to ensure that people of all faith traditions felt seen and heard. They sought out Roger Holzberg, former Disney imagineer and co-founder of Reimagine Well, whose mission is to ease the patient journey from diagnosis to well-being using imagination, technology and education.

As a cancer survivor and caregiver, Holzberg brought deep personal insight into the design of the space — blending creativity, compassion and a deep understanding of what patients and families truly need.

“For City of Hope to recognize how important it is to give patients and families a way to return to their sacred places — within the walls of a hospital — is extraordinary," Holzberg said. "The spiritual care center fills you with a sense of the sacred."

Another First for Cancer Care,
Grounded in Best Practices

In creating the spiritual care center, City of Hope Orange County asked patients and their families an important question: “If you feel the need for prayer and you could be in any sacred space, where would you go?”

Unlike traditional hospital chapels that display symbols from various faiths without deeper engagement, this center offers a fully immersive, sensory-rich experience that honors diverse spiritual traditions in meaningful ways.

Research shows that spirituality improves outcomes and enhances quality of life for people with serious illness. A systematic review of more than 370 articles found robust evidence linking spiritual care to better health outcomes and 91% of people with advanced cancer have spiritual needs. Leading organizations such as the American Society of Clinical Oncology recommend integrating spiritual care into cancer treatment.

Partnering with Orange County’s
Diverse Faith Community

The Wetterau Family Spiritual Care Center was designed with the expertise and consultation of many distinguished spiritual leaders. Leaders from across the region played a key part in the design.

Rev. Jon Turner, Minister, Orange County Buddhist Church

“In the Dharma, we learn that all human beings are connected like the threads of a single robe. This multifaith spiritual care center honors this truth in such a profound and beautiful way. All people, regardless of their spiritual beliefs, will find this to be a place of solace and healing."

Rev. Reynold Furrell, pastor, Saints Simon and Jude Catholic Church

“This Spiritual Care Center is a sacred space. We pray that folks who need support, patients and families seeking comfort, and all those who provide care will enter into the center and find refuge, peace and hope. It is truly a blessing that City of Hope honors every faith, providing for all people in such a sincere and intentional way.”

Swami Ishwarananda, resident senior monk at Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles

“When a community comes together in support of those facing cancer, it transforms suffering into shared strength and hope. Through compassion and unity, we remind each person that they are not alone on their journey, and together, we create a circle of healing that uplifts all. Thank you, City of Hope, for creating this circle.”

Dr. Jihad Turk, founding president of Bayan Islamic Graduate School

“In Islam, supporting those who are ill is not only an act of compassion but a duty that brings the community together in faith and service. When we unite to support those with cancer as we do with this center, we embody the mercy and solidarity that our faith teaches, offering comfort, dignity and hope to every individual.”

Rabbi Adam Greenwald, Rabbi of Congregation B'nai Israel

"All faith traditions affirm that we are more than just our physical bodies — each of us carries a sacred spark of the Divine within. As the world-class physicians and scientists at City of Hope provide leading-edge medicine to the body, this beautiful and radically inclusive space will contribute to an equally essential refu’at ha-nefesh  — a true healing of the soul."