After experiencing severe pain and discomfort in his chest, 57-year-old Ryan Johnson of Casselton, North Dakota, had a feeling something was terribly wrong.
Little did he know he was at the beginning of what would become a two-year-long, life-changing journey of courage, determination, love and compassion.
Throughout Ryan’s experience, he and his family never walked alone thanks to world-class care, lifesaving treatments and meaningful programs like Nurse Navigation — all of which are fueled in part by philanthropy.
Ryan’s Story
After a series of tests, Ryan was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow.
Feeling shocked at the news, Ryan said the teams at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center quickly calmed his fears.
“I can’t say enough about the staff. From the moment you come to the door, someone’s there with a smile on their face. Everyone there wanted to make us feel as comfortable as possible. It put us at ease,” Ryan said.
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“I felt like my physicians knew what they were doing. They had a plan for my care, and we were going to work that plan. I knew my doctor, my nurse navigator and the entire team were all working together — collaborating on my care. The assured me they knew what was going on and how to take care of me.”
Bone Marrow Transplant Patient
A perfect match
To survive, doctors told Ryan he would need a bone marrow transplant. Time was of the essence.
His sister, Robyn Larson, quickly stepped forward and volunteered to be tested.
“We’re a family of faith and we just prayed that the right things would happen. I prayed that I would be able to help Ryan,” Robyn said.
Her prayers were answered. Robyn was a perfect match.
From there, things moved quickly and Robyn began working with the teams at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center to advance the transplant process.
“I found all the staff to be very accommodating, warm and understanding,” she said. “I live in the Twin Cities, so they even accommodated me by doing some appointments by phone.”
The journey begins
In May 2023, Ryan received bone marrow from Robyn during a transplant procedure at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center.
The initial plan was to collect Robyn’s stem cells through apheresis, but during the procedure, Robyn experienced a reaction. The team at Roger Maris responded immediately and came up with a different game plan.
“They handled it so quickly. After things had settled, I felt really emotional. I was worried we wouldn’t be able to complete the process for Ryan. But, they assured me they could get it to work. I always felt safe. The team was so professional and I knew they always had my interests, and my brother’s best interests, in mind,” she said.
After the transplant, Ryan felt fortunate he could recover at his home in Casselton — something he knows many bone marrow transplant patients cannot do.
“We’re about 30 minutes away. We were right on the line where they were deciding whether I could be at home after transplant or if they wanted me to be closer. Luckily, they let me be at home. It made all the difference – just being able to be with my family, in the comforts of home,” he said.
Today at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center, nearly half of patients travel more than 60 miles to visit us for the most advanced cancer care available, including the latest lifesaving treatment options offered through the state’s only Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant program.
For patients who are far from home, the cancer journey can be difficult. For blood and bone marrow transplant patients, it can be especially challenging with up to six weeks of inpatient care followed by 30-100 days of outpatient care and monitoring.
A new project aims to make the cancer journey easier.
The Peltier Lodge is a new patient lodging facility to be located near the campus of Roger Maris. The facility will serve as a home away from home for cancer patients and their loved ones, extending the standard of excellence offered at Roger Maris today to every step of the cancer journey — from diagnosis through treatment to recovery.
Learn More about the Peltier Lodge
A place for healing and connection
The Peltier Lodge is a project that will offer so many benefits to those fighting cancer, Ryan said.
“A place for patient lodging will offer so much,” he said. “Just to be able to have a community of people around you who are all working through tough days — it will offer patients and their caregivers so much support and understanding. It’s hard to talk about with people who aren’t going through it. It helps to be able to talk with someone who understands. For caregivers, especially. I know during our experience, my wife found strength in being able to talk with and connect with other families who were on a cancer journey.”
Life today
Today, more than a year after his transplant, Ryan is doing well. But his lifesaving experience at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center is never far from his mind.
“I’m just so thankful Roger Maris was there. You can probably talk to anyone in our community and they know what Roger Maris is. But most of us don’t have an intimate knowledge of the work that happens there unless we need it. To have this facility — it’s so important,” he said.
Robyn agreed.
“It’s amazing to have had the chance to play a part in Ryan’s recovery,” she said. “But really, his journey is a miracle that has nothing to do with me but everything to do with Roger Maris — they did everything so skillfully and seamlessly, and ensured he suffered as minimally as possible throughout the experience.”
For Ryan, reflecting on his care and sharing his story is a way to pay the care and kindness he experienced forward.
“I want to bring awareness to this, out of my own gratitude for everything Roger Maris did for me throughout the journey. They genuinely cared about me. They became a family for me,” he said.
The gift of hope
With your support, we can move forward on the Peltier Lodge, a state-of-the-art lodging facility designed to provide patients and their families with a home away from home during treatment and throughout their outpatient care and monitoring.
100% of your gift through the Sanford Health Foundation will support this transformational project.
Give for Hope Today!