Jamestown woman graduates from JRMC Cancer Center

A Jamestown woman says she’s ready to book a trip to Florida once her cancer center journey is complete.
Donelle Syversen celebrated her graduation from JRMC Cancer Center on Dec. 29.
“After putting off scheduling my mammogram for some time, I’m glad I did,” Syversen said. “They found it in the early stages.”
Syversen grew up in Edgeley, N.D., and now works at High Plains Water in Jamestown.
The American Cancer Society recommends most women over the age of 40 get an annual mammogram. Women with a family history or at higher risk may need the screening sooner.
Syversen said it’s important to keep looking forward if you or someone you know is going through a cancer journey.
“Live your life. Yes, you have cancer, but you still need to live," she said. "Know that it does get better. Hair does grow back.”
Syversen said getting treatment at Jamestown helped save time instead of having to drive to Fargo or Bismarck. She was also able to work after getting her treatment.
She credits her family and a close friend for supporting her.
“Having someone there that knows what questions to ask helped me a lot,” Syversen said. “It helped me worry less about the scary things.”
Syversen said Garrett Hillius and Alicia Beckman, registered nurses at Jamestown Regional Medical Center, made a difference in care.
“Garrett and Alicia have been awesome,” Syversen said. “I’m excited to come for my treatments because they are such positive people. I look forward to seeing them. They make the scary not so scary.”
Caring for patients like Syversen is an honor, Beckman said.
“It’s a privilege to support Donelle and others like her through their cancer care journeys,” she said. “We’re glad to end the year with this celebration. It gives us and others hope.”
Syversen completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy, one treatment every two weeks for eight weeks. Then she completed one treatment each week for 12 weeks.
“I wasn’t going to let chemo ruin my life,” Syversen said. “I was going to continue to live my life as best as I could.”
Syversen said she can’t wait to get her energy back and to start feeling normal again.
Syversen's radiation journey began Jan. 10 in Bismarck.
The JRMC Cancer Center opened in 2019 in partnership with Sanford Health. Since then, it has saved individuals like Syverson more than 500,000 miles of travel. Each month, the cancer center team offers more than 200 chemotherapy infusions in six naturally lit, private infusion bays.
To learn more about care at JRMC or to schedule an appointment, visit www.jrmcnd.com/cancer-center .