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NEWS
New Children’s Cancer Clinic Up and Running Kalispell Regional Healthcare establishes lone pediatric cancer center in Western Montana
BY DILLON TABISH OF THE BEACON
Until recently, families with children battling cancer were forced to leave the Flathead Valley for the various stages of medical care.
That is changing thanks to Car- rie Neuhardt and Kalispell Regional Healthcare.
In August, Neuhardt established a pediatric oncology and hematology pro- gram at the hospital campus in Kalispell. She built the program three years ago in Billings, and she is now establishing the lone pediatric cancer center in Western Montana, which will be able to serve newborns through young adults who are battling the various types of cancer.
“Everything has really hit the ground running,” she said. “A lot of families are really grateful having us here and that’s very motivating. There has been tremen- dous excitement and support. Everybody is pulling together to get trained and get going.
A team of nurses at Kalispell Regional Healthcare is undergoing specialized training to handle pediatric oncology and hematology. At first, the Kalispell center will be able to diagnose and treat a variety of ailments, including leukemia, tumors and more. Patients will still have to venture out of state for some forms of treatment, but Neuhardt said the goal in the near future is to provide all stages of medical care in Kalispell.
“We’re starting out small and will grow into full size,” she said. “We expect to grow month by month and year by year.”
Neuhardt’s center is currently based
Kalispell Regional Healthcare is partnering with Carrie Neuhardt to establish the only children’s cancer clinic in western Montana. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
in the hospital’s Northwest Oncology Clinic, but the goal is to grow into a new pediatric tower on campus.
Next spring another pediatric hema- tologist-oncologist could join the center, too, Neuhardt said.
Neuhardt received her medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. When she was a student starting out, she had a passion for helping children. She volun- teered at a children’s hospital in New Orleans and saw the profound impact she could have on people’s lives.
“It’s a very intense job. For every fam- ily it takes a stressful situation and we try to make it better,” she said.
The children’s cancer clinic is the
latest addition at the growing hospital campus in Kalispell. Kalispell Regional Healthcare continues to grow its profile as a destination in the Pacific Northwest. The emergency room is in the process of being greatly expanded. Hospital offi- cials are in discussions about more col- laboration with North Valley Hospital in Whitefish as the valley’s population con- tinues to grow.
Jim Oliverson, vice president of Kalispell Regional Healthcare, said the new cancer clinic will provide a vital resource for families.
“When you talk about bringing this to the area, it just makes my heart swell,”
he said.
Furniture Store to Reopen as Arson
Investigation Continues
Detectives are still trying to determine who started Sept. 27 fire at Melby’s in Columbia Falls
[email protected]
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
The Columbia Falls furniture store that burned to the ground on Sept. 27 will reopen at a new temporary location in early October.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the fire at Melby’s Home Interiors continues, and Sheriff Chuck Curry said his detec- tives are confident the early morning blaze was purposely set.
“We have some leads we’re working on, but arson cases are always tough,” Curry said.
According to the sheriff’s office, the fire along U.S. Highway 2 was first reported at 5:40 a.m., Sept. 27. Initially,
the fire was confined to a small storage building at the rear of the store, but it quickly spread to the attic of the main store. Firefighters from Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Evergreen and Bad Rock all responded to the blaze.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who may have seen activity around the store in the early morning hours of Sept. 27 to call (406) 758-5585.
According to one of its owners, Debbie Melby, the store and all of its merchan- dise were completely destroyed. Much of the store’s paperwork was also destroyed in the fire. Melby encouraged anyone who had scheduled a flooring installation or other delivery in the coming weeks to call
the store at (406) 892-2878 and resched- ule as soon as possible.
Last week, Melby and her husband, Steve, were working out of a spare room at Glacier Bank in Columbia Falls. How- ever, they plan on reopening at a tempo- rary location downtown at 521 Nucleus Avenue.
Despite the devastating fire, Melby said she and her husband are already planning on rebuilding the store along U.S. Highway 2.
“We’ve had so much community sup- port, it’s almost been overwhelming,” she said. “We want to thank everyone who has rallied behind us.”
[email protected]
OCTOBER 7, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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