Why Choose North Star Lodge For Your Treatment?

Dear Patient, Family Member, or Friend,

When the diagnosis for you or anyone you love is "cancer", it can be overwhelming at first. As a family member of cancer survivors and an oncology nurse for nearly 20 years, I have had the opportunity to view the diagnosis and the treatment of cancer from more than one perspective.

In the United States there are 1.3 million new cases of cancer diagnosed each year and currently there are more than 10 million survivors of cancer. This is very good news. More and more people with cancer are living their usual lives while undergoing treatment and taking care of their health. This is exactly what we want for you: the best life possible after diagnosis. Our program has been thoughtfully designed to work with you to develop a personalized plan to take care of you, to teach you, and to keep you as independent as possible.

At North Star Lodge, teams of talented, caring physicians, physicists, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, therapists, and technicians use state-of-the-art treatment, technology, and research to make treatment for cancer more tolerable and as successful as possible. Treatment outcomes for cancer are growing more hopeful all the time with the development of new therapies and combinations of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

In addition, the understanding that we care for the "whole person", not just a physical body, but a mind and spirit as well and by using complementary medicine techniques and emotional support during and after treatment has brought an opportunity for a tailored program for healing to our medical care for patients.

Cancer happens to an entire family. We appreciate that and attempt to make families feel welcome and part of the treatment process at North Star Lodge. It is part of what we do. We want you to be comfortable in our mountain lodge setting. Enjoy the warm, healing atmosphere, waterfalls, peaceful spaces, and natural surroundings. Visit with others and participate as you like in exercise classes, yoga, journaling, and additional learning opportunities at the lodge. This marvelous treatment center is near your home and compares well to the finest treatment anywhere.

We will carefully coordinate your care with your primary care physician and other providers, community resources, and agencies to make your treatment as seamless as it can be. We start by offering you education about your illness, answering your questions about treatment, providing you with a schedule and a personalized notebook to track your treatment and experience. This is a significant time in your life and we want to help you make it as meaningful as possible.

Feel free to stop by the resource library on the lower level at the lodge. You will find many helpful books and pamphlets for your use. We look forward to serving you in these striking surroundings. If I can be of any help to you, please contact me at 509-574-3400.

Sincerely,

Mary L. Marsh, RN MSN
Director of Oncology Services