For Julie Burgum, making a gift to the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center was so much more than just a donation — it was a chance to share a lasting tribute in honor of two special women and the compassionate care that carried each of them through difficult battles with cancer.
Julie’s late mother, Esther C. Opp, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in 2010. Her late mother-in-law, Katherine K. Burgum, also navigated a cancer journey.
“They were both so special to me, and to so many,” she said.
Julie had often thought of how best to honor the legacies of her mother and mother-in-law. Last year, she found the answer.
Inspired by Norma Peltier’s transformational gift to establish the Peltier Lodge, a new patient lodging facility to be built near the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center, Julie made the decision to make a gift in Esther’s and Katherine’s memories to support the project.
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For patients and families navigating a cancer journey, the Peltier Lodge will be so convenient. It will provide a feeling of comfort. It’s such an important project.
Donor & Sanford Health Foundation Board of Directors
Navigating Cancer Care, Far From Home
When Julie’s mother, Esther, was diagnosed with cancer, she was living in a small town in south central North Dakota. As she began treatment, Julie often helped choreograph transportation, helping her mom make the nearly three hour drive to the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo.
“Transportation was a challenge, but we felt so good about the care she received at Roger Maris. I know her nurse navigator meant a lot to her. She passed away in 2022 at the age of 95,” Julie said.
For patients in rural communities across North Dakota, accessing health care isn’t always easy. At Roger Maris, nearly half of patients travel more than 60 miles for cancer care and treatment, including leading-edge therapies offered through the state’s only blood and bone marrow transplant program.
As the largest rural health care system in the U.S., Sanford Health is continuously working to improve access to care and ease the burdens of location and distance. The Peltier Lodge is just one example. This state-of-the-art facility will extend care beyond the walls of Roger Maris to offer a home away from home for cancer patients and their loved ones, surrounding them with the care and support they need to get better, faster.
Thanks to the support of friends like Julie, the project will soon become a reality.
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We’ve long dreamed of a patient lodging facility. Our patients need this. Our region needs this. And thanks to Julie’s beautiful gift, we are moving closer to our fundraising goal for this critical project.
Vice President for the Sanford Health Foundation in Fargo.
“This gift is just one of the many ways Julie has supported our mission of care over the years,” Hinkemeyer said. “In addition to a generous gift to the Sanford Medical Center in honor of her late husband, Brad, Julie has also given generously of her time and her ideas as a member of the Sanford Health Foundation Board of Directors. We simply can’t thank her enough for all she’s done to help bring world-class health care to more people across the Fargo region.”
A Deeper Understanding
For Julie, serving on the Foundation’s Board of Directors was a chance to witness how philanthropy helps make progress possible.
“I grew up in a small town and it was always 60 miles to the nearest health care center. You learn how important it is to have good health care, close to home,” she said. “Philanthropy does so much to advance and enhance health care — from new facilities to special services like Nurse Navigation. I’m so grateful for the facilities we have here in Fargo. It makes me proud. And it offers me a sense of peace knowing the caliber of medical expertise we have here,” Julie said.
Give for Good
If you’re inspired by this story and want to support the Peltier Lodge, make a gift today. 100% of your donation will help bring our patient lodging facility to life, making a difference for patients and families who are navigating a cancer journey far from home.