Lori K Bath co-owners continue nonprofit efforts with Lori K. Cares charity foundation

In 2018, Ron Knoche and Dan O’Callaghan opened Lori K Bath, a bathroom remodeling company housed in Valparaiso. Knoche hoped to put his previous construction and remodeling skills to use, as he initially approached O’Callaghan about forming the business in order to better care for his wife, Lori, who was unfortunately diagnosed with a rare form of cancer a year prior.

After Lori passed away in February of 2026, Knoche was seeking a new purpose. He turned to his life experience yet again for the solution.

Lori K. Cares is a nonprofit dedicated to removing the barrier for those battling cancer by providing safe, beautiful walk-in showers with accessibility features. Funds currently come from donations given by manufacturers that Lori K Bath is partnered with, as well as assistance from the city.

“The people that we buy our materials from have all been wonderful. It’s very, ‘Anything you need, just let us know, and we’ll support you,’” Knoche said. “Usually, the city is willing to help and waive permit fees and that sort of thing. It’s nice to have everybody working with us.”

For someone fighting cancer, getting clean can feel impossible. Inaccessible tubs and slippery surfaces can pose both a challenge and a hazard. Knoche saw potential in a new way to help those who needed assistance where he could lend his expertise.

“I’m making a commitment to honor her memory, and in doing so, provide at least two baths a year for cancer victims,” said Knoche, co-founder of Lori K Bath. “It was a very emotional time, and something I felt compelled to do.”

In the future, Lori K. Cares will be able to accept pledged donations from the community. For now, Knoche and the team are focusing on learning the nonprofit side of the charity.

As far as forming the nonprofit, taking care of the forms and state requirements, Lori K Bath’s lawyer has overseen the process. A business and emails have already been established, and the next step is learning more about running a nonprofit.

“We do need to learn about the nonprofit end of it — the goal is to help as many people as we can. This will hopefully grow into a nice charity that can provide for as many people as possible each year,” said Knoche.

Currently, Lori K. Cares is able to provide two remodels a year to those in need, who are found through nominees. By navigating to the Lori K. Cares website and selecting nominate, anyone can be suggested to be given the remodel. The team will then review nominees and reach out to potential candidates.

After candidates are selected, there is an interview process. Knoche and the team will meet with the nominee, take a look at their bathroom, and make the determination during the pre-interview. While Lori K. Cares would like to help everyone, cases are currently judged by level of severity.

Next, the team places an order for materials and schedules a date to return for the installation; the labor and materials are also all provided by the team. A standard package is put together for recipients which includes white walls, a handheld showerhead, a shower seat, safety bars, and accessible shelving. While there’s a chance the nonprofit will be able to cover the entire bathroom in the future, the team focuses only on the shower for now.

Accessibility and ease of access are critical for Lori K. Cares.

“You go through chemo and you’re sick afterwards, and we want to provide a safe space in that wet area for them to get in and out, so they’re not stepping over a rail of a bathtub and falling or tripping,” said Knoche.

Once the work is done, the crew hauls away all the debris and leaves the job site completely clean, no differently than when the Lori K Bath team is on a typical job. Customers are each treated the same — the main difference being that more of the process is filmed and placed on social media in order to spread the word to others who may need assistance.

“We hope to help gain momentum and traction, and get this thing moving,” Knoche said. “Just like our bath business we promote, we will be promoting this as well so we can educate and spread the word.”

Educating the public is another important aspect of Lori K. Cares. There are many finer, smaller aspects to going through cancer and chemotherapy treatments that are easily overlooked or entirely forgotten, such as exactly what Lori K. Cares seeks to remedy: the bathroom.

Making changes like opening up the tub and providing handrails can deeply improve the quality of life for those fighting cancer. Being able to have a quiet moment of independence and alone time to reflect can do much for people in their everyday lives, let alone someone undergoing intense treatment and experiencing rough symptoms. Not needing assistance in the bathroom, not needing to worry about if they’ll have the energy, it can restore a sense of self. Enjoying the water while having everything in reach makes all the difference.

It’s a difference that everyone at Lori K Bath is happy to be part of. When it comes to taking care of the community, the co-founders and the rest of the company each feel proud to have a hand in making a change.

“It really means a lot. Our employees feel proud to be part of this. They feel proud to work for this company, and it gives our employees a good feeling about what this company is doing for the community.” Knoche said.

To learn more about Lori K. Cares, browse its website lorikcares.com. For information on Lori K Bath, visit its website at lorikbath.com.