Montana Woman Grateful for “Home” During Lung Cancer Treatment at Intermountain St. Vincent

When Helen Rath of Miles City experienced unexplained weight loss this year, her daughter Carla Buffington encouraged her to follow up with her primary care provider at Intermountain Holy Rosary Healthcare. After her provider, Kara Erickson, ordered additional testing and imaging, they identified a concerning spot in her lung. After a biopsy, doctors confirmed that Rath had lung cancer.

After meeting with an oncologist at the Intermountain St. Vincent Cancer Centers in Billings, it was determined that Rath would need both chemotherapy and radiation treatments. For Rath , having frequent appointments and treatments for medical care was new.

“Mom has been lucky. She is 88 and has been very healthy, hardly seeing the doctor.” Buffington shared.

Because the radiation therapy would require daily treatments for six weeks, Buffington worried about where they may need to stay during the treatments and how that would impact her mother’s healing. They were relieved to learn about the St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation’s Meadowlark house, which provides free housing to patients like Rath , who need to travel for cancer treatment.

“We feel very blessed. It has been a wonderful and comfortable place to stay while mom has been getting her treatments,” said Buffington.

The private house has two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and a living room, which has allowed Buffington and her other sisters to take turns caring for their mother while in Billings. Because the daily appointments are only less than an hour, Rath and her daughters have enjoyed the warm fall weather and taking walks around the neighborhood. Buffington has taken advantage of time and space to prepare for several holiday craft fairs she is participating in.

Rath finished her treatments on November 20, and while she has enjoyed a ‘home away from home’ during treatment, she was excited to return to Miles City for Thanksgiving.

“Given everything, it has been a good experience,” said Rath . “Everyone at the cancer center is wonderful to the patients and families.”

In the new year, patients like Rath may not have to travel for care. Holy Rosary will open a new comprehensive Cancer Center in Miles City in late 2024. The 12,000-square-foot center will provide radiation, medical, and surgical oncology services to address the needs of cancer patients in rural Eastern Montana. The center will eliminate distance and access barriers to care for the people living in the region.

Because November is Lung Cancer Awareness month, Rath and Buffington wanted to also bring awareness to the importance of early detection of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, accounting for 25 percent of all cancer deaths.

Low Dose Lung Screening can provide early cancer detection and greatly increases chances for survival. For those who meet the criteria, annual cancer screenings can help find lung cancer at the first stages. If you are over age 50, have a history of smoking, or are a current smoker, individuals are encouraged to talk to the primary care provider to see if a screening is right for them. The lung cancer screening allows medical providers to identify areas that may need to be biopsied to identify and confirm cancer. St. Vincent now offers cutting-edge, robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, which allows for a minimally invasive and highly effective lung biopsy, resulting in better patient outcomes.

Because lung cancer is often found only after symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor and know your risk factors.

After going through this experience with her mother, Buffington encourages others to pay attention to changes in health and that of their loved ones.

“It is important to advocate for yourself and your family members’ health when you notice something going on,” she shared. “Early detection is important; don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.”

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 34 hospitals, 400 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.