Women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer increasingly choose breast conservation therapy (BCT). With this option, the cancerous tumor is surgically removed in a process known as a lumpectomy. To minimize the chances of the cancer returning, physicians recommend a course of follow-up treatment which includes radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy. Radiation… more ›
Willmar Regional Cancer Center welcomes Hematologist/Oncologist Jose Ignacio Ruades Ninfea, M.D.
Willmar Regional Cancer Center is pleased to announce the addition of Oncologist/Hematologist, Jose Ignacio Ruades Ninfea, M.D. Dr. Ruades received his M.D. from Universidad Católica de Córdoba in Córdoba, Argentina and completed residencies at Hospital Privado de Córdoba and Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Connecticut. He worked as an Internal Medicine physician before pursuing fellowships in… more ›
Willmar Regional Cancer Center Receives Press Ganey 2015 Guardian of Excellence Award
December 1, 2015, Willmar, MN — Willmar Regional Cancer Center is pleased to announce it has been named a 2015 Guardian of Excellence Award® winner by Press Ganey Associates, Inc. The Guardian of Excellence Award recognizes top-performing health care organizations that have consistently achieved the 95th percentile or above of performance in Patient Experience. The… more ›
Behind the Scenes: The Role of Medical Physicist Joe Schmidt at Willmar Regional Cancer Center
Patients at Willmar Regional Cancer Center (WRCC) may not have ever seen Joe Schmidt, a medical physicist, or even know what he does, but he plays an integral role in providing radiation care to cancer patients. Radiation Technology to Medical Physicist When Joe first entered the medical profession, he was a radiology technologist. At the… more ›
Marking a Milestone: Ringing the Cancer Bell
The golden bell at Willmar Regional Cancer Center rings, and nurses and staff gather in the waiting room at the Cancer Center to celebrate—and share tears of joy—with the patient who has rung the bell. The tradition of the bell began at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1996 when U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Irve Le… more ›
New Software Bringing New Solutions for Cancer Radiation Patients
Willmar Regional Cancer Center recently began using new software called MIM Maestro, or MIM as it’s known at the cancer center, that will greatly benefit radiation patients. Though patients won’t interact with this software first-hand, it’s changing the way patients receive treatment. “MIM is allowing us to treat tumors with more precision. It allows us… more ›
Volunteer Darlene Bratberg Brings Joy and Laughter to Willmar Regional Cancer Center
Anytime Darlene Bratberg brings a smile to someone’s face, it’s been a good day. Those smiles are the reason she volunteers at Willmar Regional Cancer Center. As a retired ACMC nurse, it gives her a way to continue to connect with patients even if they aren’t officially her patients. It’s also one way she honors… more ›
Dr. Ewa Wysokinska: From Poland to Minnesota and Back Again
Dr. Ewa Wysokinska is a hematologist/oncologist at Willmar Regional Cancer Center. Though she’s no stranger to Minnesota, Dr. Wysokinska has spent most of her life in Poland. She grew up in a small town named Siechnice, about five miles outside of Wroclaw, Poland. Poland is home to beautiful countryside with bubbling rivers and lush forests—perfect for… more ›
Local Triathlon Club TRI4EVR Working Together to Raise Cancer Awareness
In 2004 Kris Kolstad knew something was wrong. An avid biker, Kris had been racing for years. One day he started to notice that his training was suffering. He’d experience shortness of breath which was forcing him to cut his workouts short. At the time he attributed the problem to getting older. Without warning in… more ›
An Important Piece of the Cancer Team: The Medical Dosimetrist
Imagine coming to work every day putting together puzzle after puzzle. That’s what Charlene Gordon, medical dosimetrist at Willmar Regional Cancer Center (WRCC) does each day. What is a Medical Dosimetrist? As the WRCC’s sole medical dosimetrist Charlene is tasked with piecing together the different elements of a cancer patient’s radiation treatment plan. Her job… more ›