Guest Editorial: Eulogy for The Dalles Celilo Cancer Center Oncology/Hematology

Editor’s note - Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy are the services that are scheduled to stop being offered after Feb. 28. Celilo will continue to offer radiation oncology services, non-chemo infusion services, implanted device maintenance, and surgical cancer care, including breast, colon, access ports, prostate, urological, head, neck, and breast cancer navigation.

Author:

Lynne Allen, Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner-Retired, Celilo Med/Onc

Twenty-two years ago this February, Celilo Cancer Center (CCC) treated its first patient, and this month it will treat its last medical oncology/hematology patient. Back then, when the CEO of Mid-Columbia Medical Center (MCMC) realized there were many people in the area who were traveling to Portland or were not receiving any care at all, a vision was created to bring comprehensive cancer care to The Gorge.

It can’t be emphasized enough the effort put forth by the community, hospital board and CEO in conceiving and building Celilo. In 2001 Celilo Cancer Center opened its doors with a patient-centered Planetree philosophy of care.

The Columbia River flows through The Gorge and Celilo Falls was a sacred fishing site for local Native American tribes. The Celilo Cancer Center (CCC) was named for this sacred site. Its name signifies ‘falling waters’ and implies healing. The architecture of the building included waterfalls inside and out. It rose on the hill behind MCMC. Nationally renowned radiation oncologists were hired, and later medical oncologists/hematologists to provide a level of cancer care second to none.

By 2008, CCC was accredited through the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the only one in The Gorge, and subsequently became a Center of Excellence with commendation. About a year later MCMC/Celilo became the first Oregon facility to be accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers as a comprehensive breast cancer treatment center. CCC was the first in Oregon (ahead of OHSU) and the second on the entire west coast to achieve this accreditation. Patients from Portland, Bend, TriCities and from many other locations in the region came to Celilo because of its reputation and the high level of care provided.

What did this mean for our community?

We had a world-class cancer center in The Gorge which cared for patients with many kinds of cancer and care needs. Patients could receive chemotherapy, immunotherapy, supportive care and participate in national clinical trials close to home. As genetics came to the forefront of cancer care, a counseling and testing service was added. This was all supported by a team of professional, compassionate healthcare providers. Included in this care was emotional support through massage, meditation, acupuncture, yoga, journaling, Reiki, and body image and support groups, along with relaxing spas. Volunteers served lunches, tapioca pudding, and therapy pets came to visit.

Patients were also supported by professionals from pharmacy, social work, nutrition and chaplaincy. Nurse navigators helped patients maneuver through their cancer journeys.

But more importantly, all this gave Celilo its human touch. The staff worked hard to set Celilo apart from other cancer centers by trying to go above and beyond...by providing TLC, lovingly greeting every person by first name, helping them be comfortable during their time at Celilo with warm hand-made quilts, dressing up for holidays to bring a smile to patients, making treats and cards for holidays and birthdays, sending them Christmas cards with team photo, pooling personal money together to buy special gifts and supplies for patients, attending events in our patients lives, caroling at their doorstep at Christmas time, hugging, holding their hands... sharing their laughter and smiles along with their tears.

And when some of our patients lost their battle with cancer, the Celilo family was there to send families a heartfelt card and give a hug at funerals. The Medical Oncology/Hematology patients were treated as family and were given the best care possible. The staff took pride in going the extra mile for the patients...showing empathy for all they were going through.

What did this mean to our patients?

A patient who was first diagnosed and cared for at Celilo in 2005 until her death in 2022 said it so eloquently in her book about her cancer journey:

“The Celilo Cancer Center...has offered a place of comfort and healing for so many of us. I am forever grateful to the Celilo staff, all of whom have helped me through the toughest times with kindness, compassion, knowledge, and skill.”

--Carole Anderson, My Handmade Life

Late in 2017, MCMC found itself in financial difficulties. A new CEO was hired whose mission was to bring MCMC back to financial solvency. The easiest way to do so is to decrease staff and salaries. Without an appreciation for the original mission and vision for Celilo as well as the needs of patients with cancer, changes were forthcoming. Long-time staff was strongly encouraged to take early retirement.

Managers were hired who were tasked with making changes to save money without truly understanding the mission and importance to the community of Celilo. Over the next few years, key providers left and important services were discontinued due to this lack of understanding. And with a decrease in services came a decrease in staff. Yes, the bottom line benefited, but Celilo and its mission suffered.

Along with this, healthcare throughout rural America struggled, as it still does today. MCMC is in the process of affiliating with Adventist Health. How this will help restore cancer care to The Gorge is questionable. Adventist is affiliated with OHSU for its cancer services and MCMC previously discontinued its affiliation with OHSU for reasons which are unknown.

Additionally, over the past two years, permanent providers at MCMC/Celilo as well as a social worker and more than half the nursing staff have all moved to Providence Hood River. Others went to Portland and Eastward. With the first loss, active recruitment for staff should have occurred but it didn’t, leading to more resignations. Perhaps when staff started leaving, MCMC Administration and Board should have looked carefully at why this was occurring. Perhaps the way in which management ‘saved money’ was detrimental to our beloved Cancer Center.

In the meantime, Celilo Cancer Center Medical Oncology/Hematology closes it doors with no clear plan to reopen. Its patients must now go elsewhere for care and as when it was first envisioned; and unfortunately, many may decide to forego further treatment, whether because of unwillingness to travel or inability to travel. Even though the radiation oncology services continue at Celilo, without medical oncology/hematology, The Gorge no longer has a comprehensive world-class cancer center.

Our patients, families, and Celilo staff-both current and past—suffer the consequences, some of which can be devastating.

Those of us who were privileged to have been a part of the Celilo Family are today grieving this loss and many contributed to this “eulogy.” While our hearts are heavy, to paraphrase AA Milne:

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard..”

While the decisions have been made on closing Celilo Medical Oncology/Hematology, you may consider contacting MCMC’s Board of Directors to express your concerns or to ask questions. Their contact information is on the MCMC website: mcmc.net