Charleen Tefry has fought cancer twice. First, it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma then breast cancer. In between, her husband was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. He died not long before Charleen found out she had breast cancer.
She was living in Roseburg at the time she learned she had breast cancer. She wanted to have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstructive surgery but her oncologist did not offer that. Charleen called Providence Medford Medical Center to find if they performed reconstructive surgery. She first spoke to Kate Newgard, nurse navigator at Providence Leila J. Eisenstein Breast Center. “Kate is the angel of the breast cancer patients,” said Charleen.
"To have the support of others is everything."
- Charleen Tefry
Charleen decided to move to Medford because it was closer to her family in California, it had an airport and it had Providence. When she first moved to the area, she did not know many people so she took advantage of programs that the breast center offered beginning with the walking group. Charleen said being with the group and talking is so important. “You don’t realize how long the process takes and how it affects you,” she said. “To have the support of others is everything.”
Charleen is cancer free but knows that her Hodgkin’s lymphoma can come back. She said there is just something about Providence, something special. She is so thankful for her care at Providence and for all the support services offered because of your generosity.
