Holy Rosary Hospital celebrated the opening of the Helmsley Cancer Center in Miles City.
Patients will no longer have to travel to Billings, which is important for expenses, support, and treatment.
“Ultimately, I chose what was best for my family ,” said Jamie Beardsley. “And I chose to drive back and forth 280 miles daily and 7,000 miles total."
Beardsley finished 25 rounds of radiation treatment for breast cancer last December.
She was driving Monday through Friday from Miles City to Billings for treatments and back the same day to take care of her children.
“I did pretty well with radiation,” Beardsley said. “I wasn't tired until the last few treatments. It did wear me out a little bit, but it was just a mindset. Had to do it. So I did it.”
Dee Abbott also traveled to Billings for treatments and helped with the groundbreaking last year, but she had a reoccurrence and passed away in September.
“Dee shared about her journey and how excited she was to see us expand cancer care in Montana,” said Katie Donnelly, director of Intermountain Health Holy Rosary Cancer Centers of Montana.
Donnelly says now patients can get treatment and enjoy staying home with their families.
“I could not have envisioned having something like this facility in Miles City several years ago,” Donnelly said. “And now it's a reality and it's pretty awesome.”
The 12,000-square-foot center cost $17 million and the Helmsley Charitable Trust contributed $6 million.
Donnelly said Holy Rosary had done chemotherapy, immunotherapy, infusion type services, and surgical oncology.
The Helmsley Cancer Center will offer all that and more, including radiation.
“Whether you choose to live in a big city or a small little community like Miles City, everybody deserves the latest in state-of-the-art equipment for medical,” said Walter Panzirer, Helmsley trustee.
Panzirer is the grandson of the woman who started the trust and he says this facility is as good as any in the big cities.
“We love our big windows,” said Ashley Herzog, a nurse at the center. “I think it is really important for the patient in their healing because it brightens up the place. It brings a lot of natural light positivity.”
“Oh, I really love building the connections with the patients,” said Carrie Warner, a radiation therapist at the center. “It's very cool. It's rewarding to be a part of the process.
Sister Eileen Hurley, Sisters Of Charity Of Leavenworth gave the closing prayer.
“May it truly be a place of healing and hope to all people,” Hurley prayed.
