NEWBERG, Ore. — A medical diagnosis or major medical event can be life-changing not only for the patient but for the patient’s family and friends. The emotional cost is high enough, but the physical and financial cost can be crushing and generational.
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According to the Pearson-KFF Health System Tracker, nearly one in 12 adults owes medical debt, and Americans as a whole owe at least $220 billion in medical debt. That debt can come from the physical operations, to recovery, to ongoing at-home care.
After experiencing this firsthand, Dundee resident Lecia Boyd and her family are hoping to ease the burden by renting at-home medical equipment to those who need it for no cost in memory of the family’s matriarch, Sue.
Boyd, her brothers Jerad and Ron, and their father launched Sue’s Closet on July 17, 2025, following a fundraising effort. They are now working toward official nonprofit status.
The effort began after their mom, Sue Boyd, was diagnosed with ALS in 2022 and died three months later.
“We brought her home and it was kind of midway through the pandemic, so it was hard to get all the medical equipment in their home,” Boyd said. “We had to set up a whole nursing home basically in their living room, and it was incredibly challenging.”
Sue’s Closet supports family members caring for loved ones who need medical support at home by lending free medical equipment and supplies to residents of Yamhill County and beyond.
Since opening, the organization has received 15,481 donated products and has lent out 541 pieces of equipment.
The organization aims to help alleviate financial burdens during challenging health journeys that come with emotional and physical costs. Its core values are compassion, generosity, and integrity.
“After my mom passed away, we didn’t know what to do with all her stuff. When I was taking care of her, I had gotten close with a lot of her caregivers, and just over and over had heard the stories of people who can’t get stuff for home, like, ‘We need a donation center in the Newberg area so badly,’” Boyd said.
According to Boyd, who works as a labor and delivery nurse, the family cared for their mom at home but was burdened with an overwhelming amount of medical equipment and supplies that were expensive up front — and hard to get rid of later. They also discovered a significant gap in access to medical equipment that was difficult for nonmedical caregivers to navigate.
To honor Sue’s legacy, the family shared their vision for Sue’s Closet with her before she passed, hoping to pay it forward and support others. They remodeled and built out their childhood home for the organization — and have already had to expand three times in four months because of the volume of donations.
“Before we opened that, we sold a lot of my mom’s holiday stuff, and all of my mom’s trinkets and treasures that the family didn’t want to keep,” Boyd said. “My mom was a collector, so we sold tons of my mom’s things and used all of that money to go into our startup — and then started our GoFundMe as well to just help with startup costs.”
GoFundMe contributions go toward purchasing frequently borrowed items and supporting operating costs, although the organization also accepts donations of new and used medical equipment and supplies. Boyd said their main operating cost is shelving and storage to keep items organized.
Reusable equipment, such as hospital beds and wheelchairs, is returned to Sue’s Closet when no longer needed to help the next family in need. The organization also supplies crutches, toileting assistive devices, walkers, respiratory equipment, wound care items, incontinence products, and hygiene supplies. The team sanitizes and documents every donation, tightening screws and checking expiration dates.
Brittany Vaughn, the only paid employee, works part-time during open hours.
“I really had no idea how much this was needed at all. I didn’t know the impact it would have on people,” Vaughn said. “It’s just been really, really emotional and has touched my heart in many ways, being able to help these people … it is a heavy, heavy emotional load, but just knowing we’re helping people so much has been amazing.”
Families caring for a loved one at home can pick out items from the inventory. The team will prepare and sanitize the items, offer basic instructions, and do minor repairs. They do not give medical advice or accept pill or medication drop-offs. Families picking up equipment are asked to sign a release waiver.
“Anything that you would need to take care of a loved one at home, we hopefully have some version of that or something available,” Boyd said. “We definitely encourage people to come in with a list from their doctor if they know they’re going to have surgery and they need supplies.”
The organization can sometimes assist with delivery if a family cannot pick up equipment.
Boyd said they are developing a volunteer program and are taking names and contact information from interested community members. They plan to create a shift schedule and a list of duties soon, such as picking up or dropping off supplies for those who can’t travel.
Sue’s Closet operates out of a private home at 21430 N. Hwy. 99W in Dundee. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Learn more by calling 503-899-5848 or visiting suescloset.org.
