Jackson, WY – When realtor Mercedes Huff felt a tiny lump in her breast in early 2015, she assumed it was harmless. A routine mammogram had been clear just weeks earlier. The surprise call from Dr. C. John Haling, a radiologist at St. John’s Health, changed everything: Huff had an aggressive Stage 3 cancer.

“I felt like a deer in the headlights,” Huff said, recalling the fear for her children and her future. Early detection saved her life, but the treatment journey required travel beyond Jackson. At the time, St. John’s Health did not have an oncology surgeon, so Huff’s double mastectomy and six weeks of radiation were performed in Salt Lake City.

Support at home and away

During four months of chemotherapy, Huff praised the nurses at St. John’s Health, calling them “incredible caring nurses” who became friends. She also highlighted the confidence she placed in her doctors, which gave her peace throughout the process.

While Huff was fortunate to stay rent‑free in a condo owned by friends in Salt Lake City, she admits the experience was far from home. “Salt Lake City just wasn’t home, and I was alone,” she said. The distance underscored the need for comprehensive cancer services within Jackson.

Looking ahead

Now ten years later, Huff enjoys work, travel, grandchildren and a grateful outlook. She hopes the community will soon host a full radiation oncology program, eliminating the need for patients to leave town for critical care. “It would make me very happy to think someone could go through this entire journey right here in our community,” Huff said.

St. John’s Health is planning a new cancer center that would bring radiation therapy and other oncology services to Jackson. The organization asks local supporters to learn more at stjohns.health/cancercenter and consider contributing through the Old Bill’s Fun Run.

Original reporting: Buckrail (Jackson WY) — read the source article.