Cancer. The word alone is enough to make your skin crawl. Whether it’s you, a friend, or a relative who’s received that harrowing diagnosis, cancer affects everyone in our community. The road to recovery might be a long one, but you don’t have to walk it alone. That’s one of the beliefs that drives Teton Cancer Institute.
Located in two brand-new facilities that stand side-by-side just off of 17th Street, the Teton Cancer Institute (TCI) is a medical masterpiece. It’s fully stocked with the latest and greatest in medical equipment and technology, but it’s also a very friendly and cozy atmosphere. You’ll find no clinical and confining rooms here; rooms are designed to feel wide open and comforting to patients and their family members.
Danae Walker, Nurse Navigator for TCI, doesn’t shy away from her pride for the facility. “Anything that Huntsman [Cancer Institute] and Mayo Clinic can do, we can do, and we can do it all here in Idaho Falls,” she said. “We have a lot of the best things; best nurses, best doctors, and best patients. We’re not the biggest, but we offer state of the art treatment.” Walker’s role at TCI is to act as a guide and advocate for each and every patient, from the start of treatment onward. “I’m here to alleviate the concern and fear [that a patient has], because they have a friend in the office who’s helping them come through what’s most likely the hardest point in their life,” said Walker.
TCI serves all patients, large and small. Dr. Jeffrey Hancock, TCI’s pediatric oncologist and hematologist, is a Rexburg native and after spending several years working with the University of Utah and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, he returned to Idaho Falls to serve child and teen patients. What he loves most is the ability to work with several doctors under one roof, as well as across the nation. “Collaboration is an important part of medicine, and having the ability to share challenging situations, as well as having the expertise of our nursing staff, is a huge benefit,” said Dr. Hancock. “It also makes for a nice atmosphere and allows us to… build upon experience from the past.”
The collaborative atmosphere is especially a big highlight for Dr. Calvin McAllister, the radiation oncologist for TCI. “We have phenomenal people in medicine in this town. Brilliant doctors who are top notch, who could be at any university, but they’re here,” said Dr. McAllister. “It’s a good thing to be together and actually share some face time. There’s subtle things you miss when you’re [working together] from a distance. The ability to collaborate on the same campus is incredible; you just point patients next door, and know they’ll take care of them.”
Some might say that oncology is depressing work, but the staff disagrees, especially PA Dallin Gambles. For him, the greatest reward is the friendships he makes with his patients. “Nothing beats patient interactions! Even with the ups and downs,” he said. “Having a bond with them makes it easier. I want to know [my patients]. I want to say, “This is my friend, I’ve done everything I can for them. You get cures, and after that, you’re bonded. Any time you see a patient outside, you can ask how they’re doing. It’s really not depressing when you form that bond. That’s what helps you make it through, because you know you’re helping them when no one else can.”
As frightening as cancer may be, the fine folks of Teton Cancer Institute know that the technology and treatments take second-place to the most important kind of care that all patients need on their journey through cancer: a friend to support and walk with them, through the good days and the bad.
To find out more about Teton Cancer Institute, visit their website at www.tetononcology.com.