Television producer and active community volunteer Mindy Kanaskie wrote off her aching back as part of getting older. She could no longer ignore it when she got out of bed one night, and her back pain was so excruciating that she could barely move. She crawled to the phone and called her son, who rushed her to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

To her shock, initial tests revealed a broken back, but the big question was, “What caused it? After four tests, introductions to caring specialists and gurney journeys to various tests to try to determine what kind of cancer I had, I will never forget when my doctor told me I had a rare cancer that caused my blood plasma to make cancer cells. I felt like my world had collapsed,” remembers Mindy.

Mindy’s physician, hematology specialist Erwin Grussie, M.D., understood. “Cancer patients walk hand in hand with hope and fear,” he says. Acting quickly on Mindy’s diagnostic results, Dr. Grussie set up the protocols for her treatment. A team of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center (DFCC) cancer specialists, nurse navigators, physical therapists and others began to build a comforting circle of caregivers around Mindy.

Caring for the whole person
Fortunately for Mindy, and our community, the DFCC is dedicated to caring for the whole person: body, mind and spirit. It brings together the most advanced radiation technology along with medical and surgical oncology while never losing sight of the individual. “The Disney Family Cancer Center offers cancer patients and their loved ones a calming medical home for every stage of their journey,” says Dr. Grussie.

Fighting cancer is a battle, and Mindy took full advantage of the DFCC’s Thrivorship program, specially designed to provide patients and survivors with physical, mental and emotional support. This integrated approach to treatment helps patients manage pain, lower stress, improve energy and sleep, and enhance their overall quality of life. Mindy shares, “My doctors, the nurse navigators, physician assistants, nurses, techs, radiologists and so many others were all remarkable. Everyone showed care, love and compassion. They talked to me like a family member and prayed with me when I asked. I never felt alone or abandoned.”

Donors make all the difference
The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a shining example of how the power of philanthropy positively impacts the health of a community and people like Mindy. The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center was funded 100% by philanthropy, and is home to advancements in technology and the latest cancer treatments. These innovations help the DFCC attract and retain the best and the brightest caregivers.

The proof is in the patient experience. Mindy says, “My care was outstanding, and I never doubted that I was in the right place. When I think about it, I cry with gratitude.”