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.”

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.”

Brian’s Story

Brian Morger holds many titles: Artist, Brother, Montanan. But one he wears proudly on his sleeve is Cancer Survivor.

“I’ve lived in the area off and on for about 30 years. I’ve tried to leave but my stories keep bringing me back. And I never thought that cancer would be one of those stories, but here I am.”

For Brian, his cancer story began 15 years ago when his sister, Audra, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. After genetic testing it was revealed that she was a carrier for the BRCA-2 gene, a mutation which can increase the likelihood of ovarian and breast cancer in women, as well as prostate and pancreatic cancer in men. Early detection of this gene is the key to successful treatment and saving lives. Medical professionals urged Brian and his eight siblings to get tested for this mutation, however, he declined as he believed ignorance is bliss.

“All my siblings were tested and 5/9 were positive. I opted not to be tested because I figured “with no children, what was the utility?” but the truth was, I was a bit of a coward.”

Brian had a change of heart when his primary care provider at the Great Falls Clinic, Nash Hallfrisch, convinced him to get tested for the BRCA2 gene due to his family history.

“As fate would have it my test was positive. I had the BRCA mutation, and that put it at 6 of 9 siblings. Hallfrisch screened me for BRCA prone cancers. The prostate and specific antigen (PSA) showed an abnormal and elevated number. And the urologist confirmed cancer a week later. I was given three choices, surgery, radiation or active surveillance… given my stubborn nature I chose [the last] one.” Surveillance.

After two years of monitoring and his PSA levels continuing to rise, Brian chose to go through treatment. Brian shares his friends and family highly recommended Dr. Underhill at the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center.

“She set up the schedule. Nearly every day, for several weeks. The treatment was stranger than I imagined. The Lupron affected my mood, and the radiation had a myriad of differed physical side effects. And of course, [I had] worrisome thoughts.”

Brian has been cancer free for two years. After his treatment, Brian is proactive with his health and he consistently completes detection testing to make sure that if cancer does arise, it will be caught and treated early. He has become an advocate for early detection and treatment, he even informs others of the importance of testing. While many may see him as a courageous warrior, Brian thinks of himself as a light of comic relief in the darkness of his family’s cancer story.

“My sisters are the warriors, I watched them go through the horrendous ordeals with chemotherapy after receiving stage 4 diagnosis’. I’ve contributed mainly to the family’s fight by keeping a sense of humor about cancer. I’m more like a warrior/jester.
When my sister Audra’s treatments were no longer working, and she knew her life was ending at 43, I said “well look at this, you won’t have to grow old and still have to do dishes.” This made her smile.”

Today, Brian continues to maintain an air of humility through his remission.

“[I am] humbled most definitely. And again, reminded that many others have it far worse. Usually if I meet someone and learn they are going through cancer, I don’t mention mine. It allows me to be present for them in their fight.”

John’s Story

About four years ago John Shaw moved from Oregon to Montana to marry the love of his life. Together they enjoy taking their Jeep out mudding, traveling and hiking in the mountains. But things in John’s life took a turn last year when he was performing a routine checkup on himself and discovered an abnormality in his left testicle.

“At the time I didn’t have health insurance, so I was super stressed about it. I would’ve liked to go to the doctor, but I [was] afraid of how much I would have to pay for it.” John said.

In October, he got a new job with health insurance, coincidentally this was the same time his health began to rapidly decline. One day John was experiencing extreme pain in his back when his coworkers convinced him to go to the Great Falls Hospital Emergency Room and get checked out.

“I was diagnosed with an infection at first, but [the providers] were super concerned by the symptoms I was presenting, so they referred me to a urologist and the timeline after that went by so quickly.”

John was originally scheduled to meet with Dr. Fukuda at the Great Falls Clinic on April 4, 2024; however, his orchiectomy, or removal of testicle(s), was pushed up to April 1^st because of the rapid progression of his condition.

“Dr. Fukuda was great! Amazing! He took super good care of me throughout the surgery. He made sure to communicate every step of the way and said, ‘up until the point where I hand you off to oncology, I will be here with you’. I am exceptionally grateful for that!” John said.

When he was officially diagnosed with testicular cancer, he said he was scared of the unknown, worried about the next steps in the process, and nervous that treatment or tests wouldn’t go as planned. When he met with his oncologist, Dr. Jessica Kaae, she shared with him the story of the professional bicyclist, Lance Armstrong. In October of 1996, just three months after one of the biggest bicycle races in the world, Armstrong was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer and given a 65% to 85% success rate. As his condition worsened that percentage continued to drop. However, against all odds, in February 1997 Armstrong was reported to be in remission. John shared, “[his diagnosis was] pretty much the same as mine, but his spread to his brain. Yet he is still alive, he is cancer-free!

“I have felt hopeful. No one wants cancer, obviously,” John said. “But to hear the news that [in 2024] it is over 90% treatable and even curable… that lifted a weight from my chest.”

Besides providing an excellent peptalk, Dr. Kaae made John feel comfortable by listening to his concerns and adjusting his treatment plan specifically to his lifestyle. Originally, he was prescribed three chemotherapy medications, Bleomycin, Etoposide and Cisplatin. But he shared with Dr. Kaae that he was a past smoker, and he was worried that the bleomycin would have a negative effect on his lung health. With this in mind, John and Dr. Kaae agreed modified the treatment plan to exclude the medication and instead John would complete an extra round of chemotherapy using the other two medications.

John shared it’s hard to be negative about his situation because he is surrounded by such a great support team. From the nurses in the infusion suite to his parents and husband, he knows he has a team of people he can rely on when he needs it.

“It honestly makes me want to tear up. The Clinic has a caring atmosphere. Everyone [in my life] is super supportive. They understand that if I’m not acting like my normal self, it’s because I have poison going through me. So yeah, I’m going to change a little bit, but at the end of the day it’s still me. It’s been nice to have these people to lean on.”

Even though his parents still reside in Oregon, and it is a tough time for all of them, their familial bond has only gotten stronger the past few months. His father made the trip to Great Falls to help John recover after his surgery and his mom visited when he started chemotherapy. And of course, his husband has been by his side the entire time.

“He’s been here for so much, and [my parents] just love him so much for being here for me every day. He and I cried together and have done everything together. He truly is my rock.”

John and his husband have adjusted their life to accommodate John’s needs and energy levels. Often, they find themselves spending more time inside playing video games and watching movies. But John says it is had been helpful to keep as normal of a life as possible. When he feels up to it, they try to go hiking out of town and away from cellphone service to get a distraction from the diagnosis.

“It’s important to take time for yourself and your mental health especially. It can be super hard to get a diagnosis like this but make sure you are still doing things that are healthy for you and your mental health. Do things you want to do. Live in the moment. Go out on the weekends even when part of you wants to stay inside and relax. Because you never know how much time you have left, and you never know what is going to happen.”

Cancer has turned John’s world upside down, but he has surprised himself with how positive he has become.

“Things don’t stress me out as much. Like, when I’m at work and I have a problem I’m like ‘oh yeah, this issue is happening, but other things are going on that are bigger. I have been getting through this [cancer] so I can handle anything’. It’s been great to know that I have built that strength in myself. I feel like that has made me unstoppable. When you’re really determined you can get through anything.”

In mid-July 2024, John completed his last round of chemo; he and his doctors are still monitoring his condition. John hopes to instill a sense of power in other young men by reminding them to perform self-examinations, just like he did only a handful of months ago.

“When I think back to the very beginning there was a lot of shame. Because I didn’t want someone to touch me down there. But at the same time, it is so important for your health and wellbeing to get checked out. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself”

Denise’s Story

After two years of abdominal cramping and incessant pain became too much to bear; Denise drove to the emergency room in March 2024. Hours later, the sun had set and the results of a CT scan confirmed an unimaginable fear. Denise had a large 7-millimeter mass on her pancreas. Denise recalls the doctor’s face being white as a sheet as he entered her room to deliver the news. The emergency room doctor referred her to Dr. Warr at the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center. He told her it was very important for her to see an oncologist as soon as possible and if the office didn’t reach out to her by noon the next day, she should call them.

“I drove home, in total shock and disbelief, crying very hard, looking through the windshield seemed like a huge rainstorm,” Denise shared. “I was up all night, planning my end of life, things that I needed to do…thinking I had pancreatic cancer.”

The next morning Denise got a call from Dr. Warr’s office at the Great Falls Clinic Cancer Center, that afternoon she facetimed her family for moral support during her appointment. Dr. Warr ordered blood tests, procedures, biopsies and imaging. On April 4, 2024, one year after she retired, Denise was diagnosed with an aggressive and fast-growing cancer, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Two weeks later with her sister by her side, Denise went to her first chemo appointment. She remembers how scared she felt.

“April 18^th was my first chemo; my sister was with me. Now it [feels] real. I cried. But the gals in the infusion center were awesome. They were genuinely compassionate and sincere. They put me in a private room, gave me a welcome bag. It was very thoughtful. They made me feel at ease. They were like family,” she said

Denise describes herself as an optimistic woman who always looks for positivity and humor in a difficult situation. But the cancer diagnosis proved to be a bigger challenge than she had ever faced. She shared that in the beginning she would wake up in the mornings crying and worrying about what symptoms the day would bring. Shortly after she broke the news to her family, Denise’s daughter and granddaughters flew to Great Falls to stay with her. She felt relieved immediately.

“My daughter has been a vital part of my care and support. [My granddaughters] would get up in the morning happy. It changed my mood. They have been an enormous distraction."

Her family helped her soldier through the worst of her sickness. Denise experiences extreme ‘chemo brain’, neuropathy, and fatigue; despite this, she tells us the hardest of all was losing her hair!

“My hairdresser always told me I had hair to die for. Ten days after my first chemo, my hair was falling out into clumps. I had my granddaughters cut what was left. They love to style and cut their dolls’ hair. I looked like Moe from the Three Stooges when they were done, but they loved it... which was most important,” Denise shared.

After the haircut, Denise wanted to embrace the new normal she was in. She bought scarves to cover her head from the sun and wigs for when it got colder outside. The upside to having no hair, Denise shared, is looking forward to exploring new hairstyles when her hair grows back. She shared she always wanted to try a short hairstyle.

For Denise, like too many others, cancer has shifted her world into an unrecognizable state. Being the optimist she is, Denise has made peace with her new normal.

“Every day is a different day – the way I feel, physically, mentally and emotionally.  If I have a project, I must accept that I may not complete it.  I have now accepted to be grateful for what I did get done.  I have set my goals to get one done a day. I put too much pressure on myself. I have had high expectations of myself all my life. Cancer has helped me lower my expectations. I have a new balance.”

Denise has a message for anyone with a recent cancer diagnosis.

“Live each day, be positive and advocate for yourself. Keep a daily routine as much as you can. Expect hardships. Keep a diary, you will have chemo brain and forget.”

On September 10, 2024 Denise underwent her final chemo treatment and on September 24, 2024, Denise’s PET scan showed no evidence of cancer. For Denise, the scan results are still difficult to process. She may have beat cancer, but mentally, physically and emotionally it will take time to recover. “I am working on healing what cancer destroyed,” she shares.

“Being diagnosed with cancer, I feel that I am wiser. I certainly have a different/better outlook on life. I have realized what and who is important.”