Care and support in the fight against breast cancer

When Spearfish resident Virginia Schmunk was visiting family in Green Bay Wis., she got a phone call that changed her life; she had breast cancer and it was advanced. Time is one of the most important factors when it comes to successful treatment and Virginia’s cancer had already spread when it was discovered. “When my doctor called to talk to me about this, I asked for her advice. I knew nothing about surgeons and wasn’t sure where to start,” Virginia remembered. “My doctor said, ‘Stay local,’ and I said, ‘You’re the boss.’ I really felt like everyone was in my court.”

That led Virginia to schedule an appointment with Nicholas Czosnyka, M.D., a General Surgeon at Monument Health Spearfish Clinic, North Avenue. He and Virginia were quick to begin planning her surgery, and he kept her informed every step of the way. She said, “It was reassuring. He talked to me in a very straightforward way. I knew right away I made the right choice.” For Dr. Czosnyka, arming his patients with knowledge is an important part of his role as a physician. “Patients are more informed these days and I think that’s a good thing. So it’s important for a physician to be able to explain what they know in a way that helps the patient understand what they’re going through,” he explained.

Virginia’s case stands out in Dr. Czosnyka’s memory. “When we talk about breast cancer, or any medical problem, there’s usually a spectrum of presentation from textbook to advanced.” He described her case as an advanced one. “It had already spread to an axillary lymph node.” Dr. Czosnyka said, “It tied together all of the treatment teams we have at Monument Health when it comes to breast cancer, from surgery to chemotherapy.”

The decision to find her care locally was an important one for Virginia. “My husband didn’t have to drive an hour to Rapid City and then an hour home to be with me for treatment. Especially in March when you just can’t be sure what the weather is going to do.” She said the ability to find and arrange the treatment she needed close to home helped make things much easier. Dr. Czonyka agreed, and said the flexibility of having care nearby is invaluable when it comes to treating cancer, when time is critical. “Life can be a balancing act of schedules and everyone can benefit from a little bit of convenience,” he continued, “driving five minutes or 50 minutes might mean the difference between someone coming in that day or waiting until tomorrow and that’s a really big deal.” He said it makes communication between doctor and patient easier as well, allowing for quick follow up during recovery, so any problems can be addressed right away.

Dr. Czonyka looks back at Virginia’s case as a success, though the healing process is ongoing. He said, “One thing we have to ask is ‘Did we cure the cancer, did we get it all out?’ Now, two years out from surgery, there is no evidence of a recurrence of cancer, I feel confident we were able to do that.” For Virginia, her treatment experience with Dr. Czosnyka was positive, all things considered. “Even after the surgery he would come to check up on me and I still say hi when I see him around Spearfish,” she said. “In fact, last spring, they had a Wellness Fair at the Pavilion here in Spearfish, and I went over and reintroduced myself to say ‘thank you for saving my life.’”

Monument Health has surgical care teams in both Rapid City and Spearfish. Surgical care teams include skilled, experienced surgeons and specialists equipped with the latest diagnostic and surgical technology.

Monument Health has board-certified surgeons who provide evaluation and treatment for a full range of general surgery conditions. Physicians and providers work collaboratively with a specialized support team to monitor the patient through recovery and beyond.

The Monument Health Cancer Care Institute in Rapid City provides outpatient oncology services, supportive laboratory and imaging services.

Monument Health physicians work together across specialities to provide high-quality care while keeping patients close to home.