Mindy Johnson was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and received chemotherapy as part of her treatment. Since chemotherapy can significantly reduce bone density, her care team ordered regular dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans to monitor her bone health.
A Pendleton resident, Johnson said the most convenient place to receive DEXA scans is St. Anthony Hospital. But there was a problem: St. Anthony’s DEXA scanner was old, broken, and out of service, which meant Johnson had to travel outside her community for care.
For a scan that typically takes just five to 10 minutes, “I would have to travel to Walla Walla, which is an hour away, or Tri-Cities, which is an hour and 20 minutes away,” she said. “I would have to take a day off work, lose a day of pay, or use (vacation or sick) time.” Johnson was unaware that an effort was underway at St. Anthony Hospital to buy a new DEXA scanner. Jamie Bealer McCarty, the hospital’s manager of diagnostic imaging, knew that the St. Anthony Foundation raises money to purchase medical equipment that the hospital could not afford.
“Jamie came to the foundation knowing that we try to buy equipment when we can, and asked for this machine,” said June Mohrland, chair of the St. Anthony Foundation. “We were all on board. We didn’t want them to have to go somewhere else.”
The St. Anthony Hospital community volunteer network is active and includes not just the foundation but the Women’s Giving Society. The groups raise money throughout the year with popular events like the annual Festival of Trees in December.
By fall 2025, a new DEXA scanner was purchased and in use at the hospital. A grateful Johnson was once again receiving this important scan in her community instead of having to travel across state lines.
St. Anthony President Harry Geller is grateful for the fundraising efforts that allowed the hospital to purchase the new imaging machine. But relying on fundraising efforts to purchase some critical equipment underscores the financial challenges facing Oregon hospitals.
“It’s a statement on the health care system at large that we couldn’t raise the funds necessary to replace all of our equipment through reimbursement without the support of charitable contributions from our foundations,” he said.
McCarty, who has worked at the hospital for 25 years, said she was distressed when the hospital could not offer DEXA scans. When the service returned, it was a reunion for patients and caregivers.
“There were patients we hadn’t seen in a while, and they were so happy to be here,” she said. “These patients are our family. It was a big deal to not have it. And now that we have it back, I’m very, very happy and pleased.”