Eye on Health: Infusion Center - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Eye on Health: Infusion Center

When someone is diagnosed with cancer, there's a long struggle ahead of them.  
At the new Trinity Cancer Care Center,  they have designed a new state- of -the-art infusion center with the best interest of the patient in mind.    
Carla Burbidge has this week's Eye on Health.

Located on South Broadway, you have likely noticed that the Trinity Cancer Care Center has been undergoing a major facelift these past several months.  
The 6.5 million dollar expansion and technology upgrade should be finished in August.  
And even though its not quite finished, the new infusion center is now being used.  
There are 18 private infusion bays, where patients receive various treatments.  
With a growing population in the region, more people need the services at the cancer center, including the infusion area.
(Dolly Gowan, Nursing Supervisor) "It's amazing how busy we have been, many of the chairs are full, it's a busy time."
Patients who need  intravenous infusions spend a lot of time here.  
Depending on what they need, it could be several minutes a day to several hours.  
Sherie Heine was first diagnosed 14 years ago.  
And because she had side affects from the radiation she required infusions five days a week for two years.  
Now days, she only comes in occasionally, but she certainly appreciates the new surroundings.
The colors, the relaxing environment, the space.  
(Sherie Heine, Cancer Patient) "being a cancer patient is stressful, we need this room for family and friends, now there is space."
(Dolly Gowan, Nursing Supervisor) "We get to know the patients well, we hear that they like and if they are happy, that makes us feel better."
Dealing with cancer is awful enough, at least patients in our region have a better place to come to, as they go through the treatment.
For Eye on Health I'm Carla Burbidge.