MIDDLETON, Wis. -- A Middleton woman continues her mission to open Restoring Hope Transplant House, a home solely for transplant patients and their families while they go through treatment at local hospitals.

“We are pushing even harder because as we turn away 15 families daily that are asking for the house or wanting to be in community, hotels are no longer what they want," said Cindy Herbst, executive director of Restoring Hope.

Herbst is making a final fundraising push for the remodeling and restoration project, which needs an additional $300,000.

"A place like this would be such a blessing for people to use," said Rita Stearns, whose husband had a transplant. "Just to get away from the hospital, rest, the quiet, visiting with other people."

She and her husband, Russell, made several 400-mile round trips from Bloomer to Madison for his two liver transplants at UW Hospital. They spent weeks in hotel rooms and hospitals.

"We would utilize the family waiting room or the lobby at the hospital for the surgical waiting area to stay overnight," she said.

It was a worry that was always on her husband’s mind.

“He was expressing again, 'well, now where are you going to stay?' 'What is this going to cost?'"

Russell passed away in October, and while they never stayed at the house, Rita hopes its rooms will soon be filled with others who really need the comfort of a home.

“He would have thought this would be a perfect situation," she said. “It would be a huge benefit just for, you know, to have someplace to go where it's quiet and peaceful."

The Transplant House has raised $175,000 that will be used on the mortgage, but it still needs another $300,000.

Herbst hopes to begin construction in January and finish the project in time for the Transplant Games in late July.