Hall-Perrine Cancer Center

04/24/2026

This week is Healthcare Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible impact our volunteers have across Mercy and Hall-Perrine Cancer Center. We want to say thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who create moments that matter. Volunteers like Ray bring comfort to patients during their treatments by providing warm blankets, food and a smile. We appreciate you sharing your time, talents and your heart with us.

04/14/2026

🚴‍♀️ Ride with Purpose. Ride to Support the Hope Fund!
Mark your calendar—Spokes of Hope Bike Ride is happening Saturday, June 6!

Pedal for a cause and support the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center’s Hope Fund.
✅ Choose your ride: 3 distance options
✅ Enjoy staggered morning start times from the Sag Wagon
✅ Score a free event t-shirt with registration

👉 Register today: www.runsignup.com/Race/IA/CedarRapids/SpokesOfHope
📧 Questions? Contact Koley at (319) 558 9740 or ntucker@mercycare.org

04/09/2026

We are incredibly grateful to share the story—and generosity—of cancer survivor Julie Knutson.
After battling cancer four times over the past six years, Julie turned her experience into something powerful. In 2025, she launched Signs of Hope, creating and donating handcrafted wooden signs filled with encouragement for others facing cancer.
Thanks to Julie’s generous donation, we were able to share these signs with our patients—offering small but meaningful reminders of strength, resilience, and hope during difficult moments.
Julie’s favorite quote says it best: “Cancer didn’t bring me to my knees; it brought me to my feet.”
In just one year, Julie has donated more than 2,700 signs across Iowa, with a goal of reaching 3,000 by the end of 2026. Her kindness has already touched lives in communities including Waterloo, Iowa City, Dubuque, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids—here with our patients.
Julie, we are so thankful for your courage, your heart, and your willingness to give back in such a meaningful way. Your signs are more than words, they are moments of hope.

04/02/2026

As colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women under 50, it's more important than ever to screen for cancer with a colonoscopy. It is the only procedure during which your provider can identify and often remove pre-cancerous polyps before they develop further.

Schedule your screening at www.mercycare.org/cancerscreening.

04/01/2026

03/24/2026

Life doesn’t slow down for cancer—but a simple screening can make all the difference.

When Kara went in for her routine colon cancer screening at 45, she never expected to be diagnosed with colon cancer. Because it was caught early, her care team was able to act quickly—and today, she’s back to living the life she loves.

Early detection saves lives. If you’re 45 or older, it’s time to talk to your provider about getting screened. Learn more at www.mercycare.org/GI.

03/19/2026

After the colorectal cancer screening age was lowered to 45, Jodie's family provider recommended she get her colonoscopy to determine if some symptoms she was having were from menopause or something more. From that screening, Jodie was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer.

New data shows colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths among younger adults. Learn more and get your screening scheduled at www.mercycare.org/cancerscreening.

03/16/2026

In many colon cancer cases, symptoms don’t present until later stages. On this Midday interview on KCRG, Dr. Daniel Herlihy shares how this makes screening for colon cancer with a colonoscopy is so important. Learn more and schedule your screening at www.mercycare.org/cancerscreening.

03/13/2026

What actually happens during a colonoscopy? In the second part of this series, Nathalie Pena Polanco, MD finishes walking through the procedure itself and explains how colonoscopies allow providers to identify and remove polyps before they have the chance to develop into cancer. Learn more and schedule your screening at www.mercycare.org/cancerscreening.

03/13/2026

Crunch Time in Hall Radiation!

In honor of National Potato Chip Day (tomorrow), our team in Hall Radiation put their taste buds to the test with a blind potato chip tasting competition this morning.

Staff carefully evaluated each chip for some very important categories, including:
✨ Saltiest
✨ Greasiest
✨ Least dippable
✨ Best in Show
✨ Worst in Show
…and the ultimate challenge—identifying the classic Lay's potato chip.

🏆 Best in Show: A three-way tie between Trader Joe's, Aldi, and Wise Golden Potato Chips.
🤔 Lay’s identification accuracy: Only 3 brave chip connoisseurs got it right! Including Lisa!!

Just a little friendly competition (and a lot of crunching) to keep spirits high while we care for our patients every day.

03/13/2026

New data shows colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths among younger adults. That’s one reason screening matters. Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for identifying and removing potentially cancerous polyps before they become a problem.

In this two-part series, Nathalie Pena Polanco, MD explains why screening is important and walks through what you can expect during a colonoscopy.

Schedule your screening at www.mercycare.org/cancerscreening.

03/11/2026

One Year. Countless Stories of Strength.

We’re celebrating the one-year anniversary of the Breast Survivorship Program at Hall-Perrine Cancer Center — a program designed to support patients not just through treatment, but beyond it.

Survivorship is more than a milestone. It’s navigating side effects, rebuilding strength, managing “chemo fog,” improving nutrition, restoring independence, and embracing a new normal. Over the past year, our dedicated breast survivorship team has provided personalized care plans, treatment summaries, wellness guidance, and referrals to supportive services like occupational therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, nutrition counseling, and support groups.

Because finishing treatment isn’t the end of the journey — it’s the start of a new chapter.

If you or a loved one has completed cancer treatment, talk with your oncologist to see if a survivorship visit could benefit you. We’re honored to walk alongside you every step of the way.

Here’s to one year of survivorship — and many more to come.

Pictured left to right: Sarah, Occupational Therapy, Susan, Counseling, Brooke, Patient Care Tech, Traci Ridgway, DNP, Dr. Ann Stroh, Heather, Nurse Manager