Largest Gift in Hospital History to Fund New PET-CT Scanner and Expand Cancer Care Services
Sidney Health Center announced today that The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded a $2.3 million grant to support installation of a new, in-house PET-CT scanner—marking the largest philanthropic gift in the hospital’s history. The investment will replace Sidney Health Center’s mobile PET-CT unit with a permanent, fixed imaging system located in the Cancer Care Department, significantly improving access to advanced diagnostic services for eastern Montana and western North Dakota patients.
“This transformative gift from the Helmsley Charitable Trust allows us to deliver faster, more accurate cancer diagnostics without requiring patients to travel long distances or wait for mobile service days,” said Jen Doty, CEO of Sidney Health Center. “It represents a new chapter for rural cancer care in our region.”
The Canon Cartesion Prime Digital PET/CT scanner integrates seamlessly with Sidney Health Center’s existing imaging technology, offering AI-enhanced imaging and improved patient comfort with a wider bore design. In addition to its primary use for cancer diagnosis and staging, the new equipment can also function as a stand-alone CT scanner to support emergency and oncology planning needs.
With approximately 370 PET-CT exams projected annually, the new service will reduce travel burdens, speed up diagnosis, and enable more coordinated treatment planning—strengthening Sidney Health Center’s position as a regional leader in comprehensive cancer care.
“The Helmsley Charitable Trust is proud to invest in innovative, technology-driven care that ensures rural patients receive the same high-quality services as those in urban centers,” said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “Sidney Health Center’s PET-CT initiative exemplifies the kind of sustainable, community-based advancement that can change health outcomes across rural America.”
This landmark grant is part of a broader campaign led by the Foundation for Community Care, which has now raised over $3.4 million in private support to expand access to healthcare in the region and improve the patient experience on a number of service lines.
The PET-CT system will be installed in one of Sidney Health Center’s existing radiation therapy vaults, with construction already underway to add a hot lab and control room. The hospital’s certified nuclear medicine technologists and radiologists are fully trained and prepared to launch the service following final testing and regulatory approval.
“This grant will touch countless lives by providing earlier detection and more precise treatment planning for patients fighting cancer,” Doty added. “It’s an investment in the health and future of our community.”
About Sidney Health Center
Sidney Health Center is a community-owned medical facility serving eastern Montana and western North Dakota with comprehensive healthcare services including cancer care, emergency medicine, surgery, and women’s health. SHC’s mission is to help people live healthier lives through compassionate care and advanced medical technology. Learn more at www.sidneyhealth.org.
About the Foundation for Community Care
The Foundation for Community Care is dedicated to ensuring the continuity and quality of local healthcare through philanthropic investment in Sidney Health Center and related community health initiatives. The Foundation connects donors to projects that make a lasting impact on the health and well-being of residents across the MonDak region. Learn more at www.foundationforcommunitycare.org.
About The Helmsley Charitable Trust
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has granted more than $4.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program funds innovative projects that use information technologies to connect rural patients to emergency medical care, bring the latest medical therapies to patients in remote areas, and provide state-of-the-art training for rural hospitals and EMS personnel. To date, this program has awarded more than $850 million to organizations and initiatives in the states of Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and two U.S. Pacific territories, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. For more information, visit www.helmsleytrust.org.