Grateful Patient Stories

Katie Tuff is a fighter. She survived kidney cancer as a child, and as an adult Katie Tuff is a fighter. She survived kidney cancer as a child, and as an adultrestrictive cardiomyopathy lead to a heart transplant. Her road to recovery included many trips to appointments and hospital stays.…

Meet Maggie, a cancer survivor with two kids, a supportive fiancée and loving family. On June 13, 2014 she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. During this time she drew hope from staff at the Prairie Lakes Cancer Center and was strong not only for herself, but for her…

Ileta (Dolly) Gasner experienced helpful and compassionate care provided by the Prairie Lakes Hospice Team with her mother, Thelma Peterson and again with her husband, Terrance. “(Prairie Lakes) Hospice was good about medication (management) and moral support for the entire family,” said Dolly. “The nurses were upbeat and good natured. They made it easier to get through…

Surrounded by her family, Zelta Jean Wall was almost 93 years old when she passed away in November, 2014 in her home near Strandburg. Throughout her life, Zelta Jean was involved in numerous clubs and activities. One such activity was raising money for the Suzanne Jacobson Memorial Fund (SJMF) through her volunteer work…

These are the words of Jeanette Chapin, a perpetual supporter of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare Foundation in Watertown, SD. Jeanette and her husband, Roger, live in a cozy home in Clark, SD. “We always give to Hospice,” Jeanette said. “It’s a wonderful service which helps so many people. I have never, ever heard…

Jerry Brower raised crops, cattle, hogs and his family on this parents’ homestead outside of Willow Lake. Hard work was no stranger to Jerry and his wife Arlene, but his diagnosis of lung cancer in 2012 was one of the hardest battles they would ever fight. With Arlene by his…

Long-time Watertown resident, Bert Drake, was most known as the owner the SD Livestock Sales of Watertown. He also farmed and raised horses outside of town. Bert shared his love of horses with family and children at Camp Courage. In 2006 Bert’s own courage was challenged when he was diagnosed…