Lifestyles: Cancer Support Partnership

There's a lot that goes into healing the body after a cancer diagnosis. In this week’s Lifestyle Report Beartooth NBC reports cancer patients in Helena have access to a variety of resources to promote complete healing.

When Daysee Swant was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer she didn't know what an oncologist was. But she found help from Kari Parmer with the Cancer Support Partnership and Nurse Navigator program

"She walked me through from the very basic what those different people what their jobs are when I would meet with them," says Swant.

The Partnership was formed with one goal in mind:

"To partner with the community and provide resources and activities for cancer survivors and people going through treatment as well." Nurse Navigator, Kari Parmer.

Parmer says the organization encourages complementary therapies that work in tandem with medical treatments.

"Cancer really affects our whole lives when we have that diagnosis and it's really about healing emotionally, physically, spiritually and putting all these things together," says Parmer.

"It made me feel like it was ok to not really know what is was going to be like," says Swant.

Through the Partnership and St. Peter's Health Resource Center, patients have access to exercise classes, cosmetology lessons and support groups for free. They also learn how to take charge.

"That's what I've heard a lot of patients say to me is 'I have control of some things in my life and getting better and recovering is one of those,” says Parmer.

And the end of treatment doesn't mean the end of contact with the people and resources of the Cancer Support Partnership.

"A very bizarre feeling of I'll never have to do this again I hope but I don't want to have to not be able to come back either.  It's a weird feeling," says Swant.

Daysee has found a way to stay involved. She recently began teaching a quilting class that's offered to patients.