Supporting a mother through treatment at a place that felt like home

When it comes to medical treatment—especially cancer care—finding a healthcare home that you trust and feel comfortable with is essential. Cancer is an intensely personal journey, and having care providers who are genuinely invested in you and in your wellbeing makes all the difference.

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC) brings together employees who are fully dedicated to patients and care about them personally. And for almost three decades, Christine Dante has been one of those people.

Beyond Business

Until her recent retirement, Christine served as a patient financial counselor in RMCC’s radiation treatment center in Boulder. And her work impacted patients in surprising ways. Christine verified insurance coverage, obtained authorization for treatment, scheduled appointments, answered questions, helped patients fill out paperwork, and connected them with needed resources. Most of all, though, she was a force of positivity and love to everyone who came through the door.

“I had the benefit of being one of the first people patients spoke to with when they came for an appointment. I tried to brighten their day and help make things a little easier,” explained Christine. “Our office team knew we were meeting patients in some of their most vulnerable moments and they may be anxious, angry, or hurting. We were always there for them.”

Lifting Up Patients

Christine brought levity to office visits and encouraged connection with patients through her upbeat personality and quirky decorations. From her Raggedy Ann and Barbie collections to inspirational signs, pictures and knickknacks, sitting in Christine’s office helped patients feel more at ease.

“I don’t believe healthcare offices need to be sterile. I love things that are sunshine-y, bright, whimsical, and fun,” said Christine. “It was a positive distraction. It wasn’t unusual for even our oldest patients to ask if they could come play with my toys!”

Christine was not alone in her quest to brighten patients’ days. The entire office joined together to make radiation therapy visits a little lighter. She and her co-workers even designated a stuffed leopard as their office mascot and dressed it up for special occasions and holidays.

“Patients would bring us costumes for the leopard and joined in our celebrations,” recalled Christine. “Many patients shared that they actually looked forward to radiation because of the environment we created. Boulder is really special.”

Collective Focus

This positive and contagious connection among coworkers benefited each and every person in the office. In fact, when Christine retired after 27 years at RMCC, she had worked with the majority of her fellow employees in Boulder for more than two decades.

“It says a lot about the organization that we all had been there for so many years. We believed in the work we were doing and knew it was important,” said Christine. “The people who came through our doors—both employees and patients—became family.”

Listening to Needs

As a result of Christine’s work at RMCC, she learned firsthand how its staff provided personalized, compassionate, and leading-edge cancer care. So, when her mother Helen was diagnosed with endometrial cancer one year ago, Christine knew exactly where she needed to be treated.

“There wasn’t a question whether my mom would be in good hands with RMCC. We wanted a care team that would listen to her wishes and give her the best treatment possible,” explained Christine.

Christine’s mother, 88, was not interested in chemotherapy and surgery—common treatment options for her cancer. Rather, she wanted to avoid invasive therapies and focus on maximizing quality of life. To help her achieve her goals, Helen’s doctors at RMCC in Thornton recommended immunotherapy to treat her cancer.

Innovative Care

Immunotherapy is a personalized form of treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. This innovative therapy for endometrial cancer is especially beneficial for cancerous tumors with a specific genetic makeup. Thankfully, Helen was a good candidate.

For the past six months, Christine’s mother has received immunotherapy treatment in the Thornton office. Her response has been excellent.

“Mom is doing great,” reports Christine. “All her tumors have shrunk and she’s in no pain. Because of her treatment, she is now able to enjoy family and maintain her quality of life.”

Beyond RMCC

Besides serving as a parttime caregiver, personal shopper, and unofficial “Uber” driver for her mother, Christine is enjoying a full and active retirement. She enjoys riding her bike, working out at the gym, and participating in water aerobics. She also spends time with her grandchildren and expresses her creative side through painting classes and crochet.

Although Christine is no longer working for RMCC, her bond with patients and coworkers is far from broken. In fact, one former patient gifted her an antique Raggedy Ann doll, a reminder of the sunshine she brought to the workplace.

Christine’s story is a powerful reminder that everyone who comes to RMCC for care is truly seen and valued. She once lived this mission from within the organization, supporting patients with compassion—and now is experiencing it firsthand through her mother’s journey.  

“I am a faithful person and truly believe I was led to this job,” said Christine. “It wasn’t always easy, but it was always worth it. I’m so thankful for the work of RMCC.”