Havre, Mont. – When her father’s job on the Railroad brought the Phillipp family from Moorhead, Minnesota to Montana in 1967, Connie Phillipp Petersen liked her new home in Havre; but, Havre was the lucky one. A graduate of Montana State University - Northern, an athlete, and “Blue Pony” physical education teacher and high school counselor, now retired after thirty-four years, Connie’s active lifework touched a lot of souls. But, when breast cancer tried to slow her down, it wasn’t for long. She’s back on the golf course again, and grateful she could stay in town for treatment.

“What a Godsend,” Connie said, and that’s how she describes the care and the treatment she received at the Northern Montana Sletten Cancer Center (NMSCC).

Connie had a routine mammogram in October of 2015 at Northern Montana Hospital, and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her doctors, Kevin Harada, M.D., Internal Medicine Specialist, and Dr. Kanaan, who specializes in Hematology and Oncology at NMSCC, “are fabulous,” said Connie. “We are so lucky to have such good doctors here.

Connie started chemotherapy on a twenty-eight-day cycle that took six months to complete.

“I went for chemotherapy two Mondays and then had two Mondays off for six months. I got to stay in Havre all that time. It was a Godsend for my husband and my family too, because they would have had to drive me to Great Falls for all of those treatments, if the Sletten Cancer Center wasn’t here.”

Her last chemotherapy was on May 3, 2016 and then she started twenty-two radiation therapy treatments in June of 2016.

“What a great place,” Connie said.

She only had to travel to Great Falls once, to get the tiny medical tattoos necessary for the radiation treatments, and then she was able to see radiation oncologist, Kelly Underhill, M.D., via Telemedicine from Havre, too.

“Everyone was kind, helpful, and caring,” Connie said of her care-team of chemo-certified registered nurses, Mary McKenzie and Markie Rohrback and Radiation Therapist, Kristi Burr, who all work at the NMSCC.

“The people are fabulous there.” Connie said. “What a tough job. But, they make you feel comfortable.”

She was sick for a while, but that didn’t stop her for long.

“Fortunately for me, I heal pretty quickly. Even when I was having bad days, I tried to get out for a walk. I have exercised all my life. I finished my treatments and then I started playing golf in August!”

When asked how she was feeling, she said, “It didn’t take me too long to feel better. In all honesty, from when it started, it took about a good year to get back to normal again. But, I feel great now, and my golf game will get better.”

Connie plays on the Havre Women’s Golf Association League, and has played in a tournament they have every year called, Golfing for a Cure. She told us she is currently cancer free and her prognosis is good. She sees Dr. Kanaan once every three months, and will continue to have a mammogram once every year.

“Definitely. Get your yearly exam. They can find it early with the mammogram, the best thing ever. I didn’t feel a lump,” Connie said. “I had a biopsy to confirm it was cancer, and then a lumpectomy.”

“It’s so good we have the Northern Montana Sletten Cancer Center here, and they keep busy,” Connie said. “It’s sad there are so many people who have cancer, but it’s good that people all along the Hi-Line can get their chemotherapy and radiation treatments here.”

According to American Cancer Society’s Cancer Facts and Figures statement for 2017 it’s estimated that among U.S. women there will be over 250,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer and more than 40,000 breast cancer related deaths.

Connie Petersen remains active, and is looking forward to thanking her friends in person at the upcoming NMSCC Open House. It will be held on Wednesday, October 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Dr. Kanaan will be doing a presentation starting at 6:30 p.m., and tours of the facility will be given. Connie and a fellow Cancer Survivor will also be sharing their testimonials. Northern Montana Sletten Cancer Center is located at 40 Thirteenth Street West, Havre, Montana, 55901 - (406) 262-6000. For more information, visit: NMHcare.org