I AM MORE THAN MY DIAGNOSIS
When developing this campaign, we were inspired by each patient’s individual story, including Sharon’s positivity and Ann’s tenacity. This led to us creating a campaign to follow their personal journeys with the hope of sharing real-life experiences. Cancer is not just needles, chemo, or radiation. Here, the focus shifts from pathology reports and treatment protocols to the essence of humanity—their passions, dreams, and resilience. Cancer is life altering and frightening, but it can also bring out hidden strengths in an individual. The elements throughout this campaign focus on cancer patients as human beings. Because they are. They are our sisters, our fathers, our neighbors, our friends. We chose to highlight the individual journey and humanize the person beyond their diagnosis.
To learn more about the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center, CLICK HERE.
I AM MORE THAN MY DIAGNOSIS
When developing this campaign, we were inspired by each patient’s individual story, including Sharon’s positivity and Ann’s tenacity. This led to us creating a campaign to follow their personal journeys with the hope of sharing real-life experiences. Cancer is not just needles, chemo, or radiation. Here, the focus shifts from pathology reports and treatment protocols to the essence of humanity—their passions, dreams, and resilience. Cancer is life altering and frightening, but it can also bring out hidden strengths in an individual. The elements throughout this campaign focus on cancer patients as human beings. Because they are. They are our sisters, our fathers, our neighbors, our friends. We chose to highlight the individual journey and humanize the person beyond their diagnosis.
To learn more about the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center, CLICK HERE.
SAVE THE DATE
I AM: Beyond the Diagnosis
The Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center will host an event where the community can come together to celebrate the resilience and spirit of our cancer patients. During this event we will acknowledge those that have participated in this unique campaign, recognize our cancer care team, highlight our Survivorship program, and showcase our upcoming Infusion Center remodel. The campaign underscores that cancer patients are not defined solely by their medical condition; they continue to write their own unique narratives. Beyond the Diagnosis is meant to share the individual journey that each patient faces when diagnosed with cancer using a human touch.
JUNE 18, 2024 • 5:00–7:00 pm
Great Falls Clinic Specialty Conference Room
3000 15th Ave South, Great Falls, MT 59405
SAVE THE DATE
I AM: Beyond the Diagnosis
The Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center will host an event where the community can come together to celebrate the resilience and spirit of our cancer patients. During this event we will acknowledge those that have participated in this unique campaign, recognize our cancer care team, highlight our Survivorship program, and showcase our upcoming Infusion Center remodel. The campaign underscores that cancer patients are not defined solely by their medical condition; they continue to write their own unique narratives. Beyond the Diagnosis is meant to share the individual journey that each patient faces when diagnosed with cancer using a human touch.
JUNE 18, 2024 • 5:00–7:00 pm
Great Falls Clinic Specialty Conference Room
3000 15th Ave South, Great Falls, MT 59405
REAL PATIENT STORIES
MEET SHARON
Sharon’s Story
Sharon was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer this year. When asked about her cancer story, she shares, “It was very fast. They did a biopsy on Monday, on Wednesday they told me I had cancer, on Friday I had surgery and the following Monday I started chemo.”
Sharon describes herself as a lifelong optimist, which helped with the startling diagnosis. “I think what helped a lot was that everyone was so optimistic up front.” Sharon shared the tumor was small and they were able to quickly form an individualized treatment plan. “The cancer team always made me feel important. I know the chemo [treatment] is [personalized] for each patient. They would always reiterate they were getting my meds ready not just getting meds ready. It makes me feel important.”
Prior to chemotherapy, Sharon expressed her personality through fun hair colors, such as purple, blue, or sometimes multicolored. Unfortunately, one of Sharon’s side effects was that she lost her hair. “I touched it and a handful of it would fall out.” Thankfully, her niece is a beautician and helped shave her hair for her. Through this campaign, we were able to highlight one of Sharon’s favorite features by bringing back a vibrancy through flowers, where her colorful hair was once a symbol to her.
When asked what life changes Sharon had experienced since being diagnosed, she shares how her overall mindset evolved. “My children and I have wanted to go on a cruise for several years and now we are all going. I decided we have to do it now, we can’t wait. We will head down to the Caribbean next winter.
Don’t put off what you want to do, just do it.
Don’t put it off because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Sharon has the following advice to someone with a recent diagnosis, “Be positive, that helps a lot. It doesn’t matter what happened here, you can’t change it.”
MEET ANN
Ann’s Story
Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has since then undergone six rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy, and five weeks of radiation.
Ann shared that she was scared when she was first diagnosed. “It was a mix of emotions for sure when you get that news. It is not easy to hear."
Ann expressed her gratitude for her extensive support team, especially her husband who took time off work to attend appointments and care for her after her surgery. “He was fantastic. He is my biggest support.” Ann also credits her fortitude to her strong faith, the prayers of her church family and the cancer center team. “The care team is encouraging, [saying], “You can do this, you can get through this, you only have a few more treatments, you’ve got this!” Just like a cheerleader,” Ann said.
Ann shared how cancer impacted her family, “We have two boys [and] they were concerned. It affects everybody, it’s a scary disease. No one wants to sit and watch their [family] get poked, prodded, tested, and go through the side effects of chemo and then the radiation. You just don’t want to see your loved one hurting.”
Ann shared her struggles during treatment, “I would say each phase had its own separate horrors. It’s all difficult. There is not one thing that is more difficult than the others. It all sucks. It’s not fun.” Through this campaign, we were able to highlight Ann’s strength by creating a shield of flowers across her chest showcasing the warrior that she has become.
Ann described her experience with the care team as authentic. “They are genuine in their caring. And it’s not like they just want to talk about your cancer, they also want to get to know you; the personal side. They ask about your family. They ask about what’s going on in your life, and to me that meant a lot. And I just think “I’m not the only patient there” they do that for everyone! And then to remember what’s going on in each one of these people’s lives. I was there every three weeks, but they still remembered. “How did this go?” or “how was that?” and to me that is amazing; to remember all these details about their patients, it means a lot.”
COMING SOON
STAY TUNED FOR THE PATIENT STORIES!
To learn more about the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center, CLICK HERE.
REAL PATIENT STORIES
MEET SHARON
Sharon’s Story
Sharon was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer this year. When asked about her cancer story, she shares, “It was very fast. They did a biopsy on Monday, on Wednesday they told me I had cancer, on Friday I had surgery and the following Monday I started chemo.”
Sharon describes herself as a lifelong optimist, which helped with the startling diagnosis. “I think what helped a lot was that everyone was so optimistic up front.” Sharon shared the tumor was small and they were able to quickly form an individualized treatment plan. “The cancer team always made me feel important. I know the chemo [treatment] is [personalized] for each patient. They would always reiterate they were getting my meds ready not just getting meds ready. It makes me feel important.”
Prior to chemotherapy, Sharon expressed her personality through fun hair colors, such as purple, blue, or sometimes multicolored. Unfortunately, one of Sharon’s side effects was that she lost her hair. “I touched it and a handful of it would fall out.” Thankfully, her niece is a beautician and helped shave her hair for her. Through this campaign, we were able to highlight one of Sharon’s favorite features by bringing back a vibrancy through flowers, where her colorful hair was once a symbol to her.
When asked what life changes Sharon had experienced since being diagnosed, she shares how her overall mindset evolved. “My children and I have wanted to go on a cruise for several years and now we are all going. I decided we have to do it now, we can’t wait. We will head down to the Caribbean next winter.
Don’t put off what you want to do, just do it.
Don’t put it off because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Sharon has the following advice to someone with a recent diagnosis, “Be positive, that helps a lot. It doesn’t matter what happened here, you can’t change it.”
MEET ANN
Ann’s Story
Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has since then undergone six rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy, and five weeks of radiation.
Ann shared that she was scared when she was first diagnosed. “It was a mix of emotions for sure when you get that news. It is not easy to hear."
Ann expressed her gratitude for her extensive support team, especially her husband who took time off work to attend appointments and care for her after her surgery. “He was fantastic. He is my biggest support.” Ann also credits her fortitude to her strong faith, the prayers of her church family and the cancer center team. “The care team is encouraging, [saying], “You can do this, you can get through this, you only have a few more treatments, you’ve got this!” Just like a cheerleader,” Ann said.
Ann shared how cancer impacted her family, “We have two boys [and] they were concerned. It affects everybody, it’s a scary disease. No one wants to sit and watch their [family] get poked, prodded, tested, and go through the side effects of chemo and then the radiation. You just don’t want to see your loved one hurting.”
Ann shared her struggles during treatment, “I would say each phase had its own separate horrors. It’s all difficult. There is not one thing that is more difficult than the others. It all sucks. It’s not fun.” Through this campaign, we were able to highlight Ann’s strength by creating a shield of flowers across her chest showcasing the warrior that she has become.
Ann described her experience with the care team as authentic. “They are genuine in their caring. And it’s not like they just want to talk about your cancer, they also want to get to know you; the personal side. They ask about your family. They ask about what’s going on in your life, and to me that meant a lot. And I just think “I’m not the only patient there” they do that for everyone! And then to remember what’s going on in each one of these people’s lives. I was there every three weeks, but they still remembered. “How did this go?” or “how was that?” and to me that is amazing; to remember all these details about their patients, it means a lot.”
COMING SOON
MEET SHARON
Sharon’s Story
Sharon was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer this year. When asked about her cancer story, she shares, “It was very fast. They did a biopsy on Monday, on Wednesday they told me I had cancer, on Friday I had surgery and the following Monday I started chemo.”
Sharon describes herself as a lifelong optimist, which helped with the startling diagnosis. “I think what helped a lot was that everyone was so optimistic up front.” Sharon shared the tumor was small and they were able to quickly form an individualized treatment plan. “The cancer team always made me feel important. I know the chemo [treatment] is [personalized] for each patient. They would always reiterate they were getting my meds ready not just getting meds ready. It makes me feel important.”
Prior to chemotherapy, Sharon expressed her personality through fun hair colors, such as purple, blue, or sometimes multicolored. Unfortunately, one of Sharon’s side effects was that she lost her hair. “I touched it and a handful of it would fall out.” Thankfully, her niece is a beautician and helped shave her hair for her. Through this campaign, we were able to highlight one of Sharon’s favorite features by bringing back a vibrancy through flowers, where her colorful hair was once a symbol to her.
When asked what life changes Sharon had experienced since being diagnosed, she shares how her overall mindset evolved. “My children and I have wanted to go on a cruise for several years and now we are all going. I decided we have to do it now, we can’t wait. We will head down to the Caribbean next winter.
Don’t put off what you want to do, just do it.
Don’t put it off because you never know what’s going to happen.”
Sharon has the following advice to someone with a recent diagnosis, “Be positive, that helps a lot. It doesn’t matter what happened here, you can’t change it.”
MEET ANN
Ann’s Story
Ann was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and has since then undergone six rounds of chemo, a double mastectomy, and five weeks of radiation.
Ann shared that she was scared when she was first diagnosed. “It was a mix of emotions for sure when you get that news. It is not easy to hear."
Ann expressed her gratitude for her extensive support team, especially her husband who took time off work to attend appointments and care for her after her surgery. “He was fantastic. He is my biggest support.” Ann also credits her fortitude to her strong faith, the prayers of her church family and the cancer center team. “The care team is encouraging, [saying], “You can do this, you can get through this, you only have a few more treatments, you’ve got this!” Just like a cheerleader,” Ann said.
Ann shared how cancer impacted her family, “We have two boys [and] they were concerned. It affects everybody, it’s a scary disease. No one wants to sit and watch their [family] get poked, prodded, tested, and go through the side effects of chemo and then the radiation. You just don’t want to see your loved one hurting.”
Ann shared her struggles during treatment, “I would say each phase had its own separate horrors. It’s all difficult. There is not one thing that is more difficult than the others. It all sucks. It’s not fun.” Through this campaign, we were able to highlight Ann’s strength by creating a shield of flowers across her chest showcasing the warrior that she has become.
Ann described her experience with the care team as authentic. “They are genuine in their caring. And it’s not like they just want to talk about your cancer, they also want to get to know you; the personal side. They ask about your family. They ask about what’s going on in your life, and to me that meant a lot. And I just think “I’m not the only patient there” they do that for everyone! And then to remember what’s going on in each one of these people’s lives. I was there every three weeks, but they still remembered. “How did this go?” or “how was that?” and to me that is amazing; to remember all these details about their patients, it means a lot.”
COMING SOON
STAY TUNED FOR THE
PATIENT STORIES!
To learn more about the Great Falls
Clinic Cancer Center, CLICK HERE.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
Over the next several months, the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center will continue to roll out various aspects of the campaign featuring new patients. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in Beyond the Diagnosis, or would like more information, please contact us using the form at the bottom of the page.
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS
Over the next several months, the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center will continue to roll out various aspects of the campaign featuring new patients. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in Beyond the Diagnosis, or would like more information, please contact us using the form at the bottom of the page.
MEET Matt Ehnes
Visionary and Photographer
Matt Ehnes is the man behind the magic of this campaign. Born and raised in Great Falls, Montana, Matt says photography has always brought a certain peace to his life. He spent three years at the Brooks Institute in Los Angeles, California before returning to Montana. Matt enjoys photographing weddings around the world and locally. After working closely with medical centers across the state, Matt noticed that healthcare advertising is typically overly clinical and generalized. His goal for this campaign is to showcase a more personal and intimate perspective of healthcare: the patient. By focusing on the patient, he envisions going past the doctor’s office and humanizing the patient. He wants to show the person beyond their diagnosis.
MEET Matt Ehnes
Visionary and Photographer
Matt Ehnes is the man behind the magic of this campaign. Born and raised in Great Falls, Montana, Matt says photography has always brought a certain peace to his life. He spent three years at the Brooks Institute in Los Angeles, California before returning to Montana. Matt enjoys photographing weddings around the world and locally. After working closely with medical centers across the state, Matt noticed that healthcare advertising is typically overly clinical and generalized. His goal for this campaign is to showcase a more personal and intimate perspective of healthcare: the patient. By focusing on the patient, he envisions going past the doctor’s office and humanizing the patient. He wants to show the person beyond their diagnosis.
Join Our Campaign
We would love you to be part of this campaign if you had or have cancer!
Join Our Campaign
We would love you to be part of this campaign if you had or have cancer!