A free community center for families navigating childhood cancer will open in October in Southwest Portland, the largest expansion in the 40-year history of nonprofit Ukandu.

The Loft, as the center is called, will serve as Ukandu's headquarters and a drop-in space where families can play, create art and access mental health services.

The center features a two-story rock wall, a golf simulator, a climbing tree with a tree fort at the top and active spaces indoors and outdoors. All programs are free.

Ukandu CEO Jason Hickox told KGW that isolation is the central problem the center aims to address. "What we hear from our families over and over is that childhood cancer experience impacts each member of the family and the primary impact is isolation," Hickox said.

Families who visit The Loft are considered participants, not patients.

Shauna Lugar knows that isolation firsthand. Her son Mason was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 4 year old.

Lugar told KGW that one of the most meaningful parts of Ukandu has been including Mason's older brother in the journey.

Joel Lampert, director of behavioral health at The Loft, said the space gives families a place where they can relax and have fun without having to think or talk about cancer if they don't want to. In a March 19 blog post on Ukandu's website, Lampert wrote that more than 50% of families experience significant financial hardship during treatment. At least one-third face life-changing distress after a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

The Loft sits less than 15 minutes from both major children's hospitals in Portland, according to Ukandu's website. The organization said community support from across the Pacific Northwest and the country makes the free programming possible.

Ukandu traces its roots to August 1986, when about 50 children attended the first Camp Ukandu. By its fourth summer, the camp served more than 150 campers. The organization has grown from one full-time employee to six staff members and has served more than 1,700 families since its founding, according to the Oregon Historical Society.

An OHS exhibit on Ukandu's history runs through Nov. 16 at 1200 SW Park Ave. Families interested in The Loft can visit ukandu.org.