[New post] Indiana patient moves to Greeley for Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center’s specialized care
Morgan McKenzie posted: "A woman with a rare cancer diagnosis is happy with the attentive care she receives at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Barbara Kaiser, who was living in Indiana at the time of her diagnosis, appreciated the care so much, she moved across the country t" Greeley Tribune
A woman with a rare cancer diagnosis is happy with the attentive care she receives at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Barbara Kaiser, who was living in Indiana at the time of her diagnosis, appreciated the care so much, she moved across the country to become a patient at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley.
In 2019, doctors diagnosed Kaiser with Stage 3 endometrial cancer, which only occurs in 10-15% of cases. At the time, Kaiser had been through multiple surgeries, radiation and several rounds of chemo.
Kaiser went online and found the information for Dr. Robin Lacour, a gynecologic oncologist at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Kaiser decided to reach out after running out of treatment options in Indiana.
"I think one thing that's unique about what Banner offers online is that all of our physicians have a video profile," Lacour said. "We give a video interview when we're first hired by Banner, and I think that may be the first contact that a patient has with us. And sometimes they make their choices based on what they see or how they feel about that video."
Kaiser's first visit to Banner MD Anderson in July 2022 ended in the decision to move to Colorado to become Lacour's patient. Kaiser then uprooted her life to Greeley on Labor Day, making a nearly 18-hour trek to her new home.
Barbara Kaiser, a Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center patient. (Courtesy/ Banner Health)
Lacour, trained in surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, works at all three Banner MD Anderson Cancer Centers in Greeley, Loveland and Fort Collins, depending on what's most convenient for patients.
"It's an honor for a patient to tell me that they want to move out of their hometown to come to Colorado to be my patient," Lacour said. "There's no professional award, or a piece of paper or bonus or anything like that that's going to mean as much as that patient's decision."
Most patients come from northern Colorado, but the clinic also sees patients from Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas because gynecologic oncology is a small specialty, Lacour said. Banner's specialized cancer care locations in northern Colorado make the drive much more comfortable for people commuting from the east or from rural areas.
"I feel like that makes our cancer center unique in a way also is that … we're able to provide patients this specialized care without them having to drive into the middle of a major city," Lacour said.
Kaiser also felt Banner's Greeley hospital was a good fit for her because of the specialized care and variety of services the clinic offers. The center has oncology services, including medical, surgical and radiation, as well as other resources for patients. This includes a supportive care team, which consists of social workers, nutritionists, pharmacists and more.
The team offers a psycho-oncology service, which is a psychologist with specialized training in challenges associated with cancer treatments. This service even continues for patients who complete their treatments and continue to struggle with fears of recurrence.
Smoking cessation, a critical approach for some cancer patients to help them achieve a smoke-free life, is also available at MD Anderson.
Two practitioners also specialize in determining if patients qualify for genetic counseling based on their family history. The practitioners even offer high-risk clinics so if a patient has a high risk for certain cancer types, they undergo screenings or imaging on a regular basis.
"Kaiser wasn't just choosing me," Lacour said. "She was also choosing Banner MD Anderson because of all our other supportive offerings and focus on care for the entire patient."
A few days after the two met, Lacour took her care to the next level. She presented Kaiser's history at a multidisciplinary planning conference on July 13 in Houston, allowing other colleagues to brainstorm ideas and suggestions for treatment, clinical trials and more.
"I can't ask for any better attention and treatment than I'm getting," Kaiser said. "It's very collaborative at the cancer center. As a patient, all that you can ask for is that someone is paying attention, and at Banner, there are many someones paying attention."
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