For cancer patients who are in the thick of treatment, the chance to see and imagine life beyond the daily weight of chemotherapy, lab draws, procedures and medications offers hope and strength for the journey ahead.
In Fargo, cancer patients are finding moments of escape from their diagnosis thanks to a special effort led by Charlotte Johnson, an oncology social worker at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center.
It’s called Postcards of Hope. And for those with cancer, it’s a small but powerful reminder that better days are ahead.
Charlotte’s Story
As a social worker, Charlotte works with blood and bone marrow transplant patients to help make the cancer journey easier. A big part of her job includes organizing temporary lodging for patients and their loved ones and connecting them with community resources.
“The majority of our patients are far from home — anywhere from one to six hours away. So transportation is a huge part of the experience — finding transportation and paying for it,” Charlotte said. “Then, depending on the type of transplant, some patients may need temporary housing for months after the procedure.”
The other part of her job is caring for patients’ emotional needs.
“Here, we talk about whole-person care. That means caring for more than just cancer,” she said. “When a person first comes through the doors of Roger Maris, they may be a stranger, but when they leave, they’re family. I want every patient to know that someone cares.”
For Charlotte, caring means giving patients the opportunity to be somewhere else, if even for a moment.
Seeing a World Beyond Cancer
Charlotte knows the pain and heartbreak of a cancer journey first-hand. Over an eight-year period, she lost her mom, dad and sister to the disease.
“While my sister was in treatment, she would always say, ‘I want to be somewhere else for the moment,’” Charlotte said. “I couldn’t physically take her somewhere else, but I love photography so I found a way to take my sister places through the lens of my camera. Every two weeks I would send her a new photograph as a way for her to be somewhere else for the moment.”
“Before she died, she asked me if I would continue do the same thing for others with cancer. I told her I would.”
Seven years after her sister passed away, Charlotte continues to keep her promise, taking cancer patients different places through the lens of her camera — allowing them be somewhere else for the moment.
“For me, it’s a chance to make a difference,” she said.
A Place for Hope and Healing
As Charlotte shares her photographs with patients, she also looks forward to the next chapter of cancer care in Fargo: the Peltier Lodge.
Located near the campus of Roger Maris, the Peltier Lodge will serve as a center for patient lodging, providing a home away from home for cancer patients and their loved ones during treatment and throughout their outpatient care and monitoring.
“A cancer journey takes a toll,” Charlotte said. “There’s the financial factor. Many of our patients are away from home, so they still have mortgages and other financial obligations on top of having to pay for temporary lodging.”
“Then there’s the emotional factor of being away from home. A lot of our patients have families they’re leaving behind, and even though we have all the technology in the world, there’s nothing that can compare to being able to see your family on a day-to-day basis.”
A patient lodging facility will lessen these stressors, making the cancer journey easier for patients and families far from home.
“The Peltier Lodge will be priceless for our patients in allowing them to have a warm and inviting atmosphere to go home to at night,” Charlotte said.
Give for Cancer Care
Every day women, men — and a growing number of children — walk through the doors of a Sanford Health cancer center. With your support, we can improve access to lifesaving screenings, accelerate advances in research and give meaningful strength and support to local patients fighting this devastating disease right now.
When you give to your local Sanford Cancer Center through the Sanford Health Foundation, 100% of your donation will support:
- Services like Nurse Navigation, offering guidance and support from day one of a diagnosis
- Leading-edge equipment like 3D mammography machines, offering the most advanced early-detection technology
- Cutting-edge research and clinical trials
- Items that provide patient comfort and support
- Direct assistance to help with meals, mileage and lodging
- And so much more