Carol's Fund - $1M endowment supports breast cancer care in the Flathead

KALISPELL — Dr. Jim Bonnet was a surgeon at Logan Health in Kalispell for three decades.

Before retiring in 2007, he pioneered efforts to bring a breast center to Kalispell, making sure breast cancer resources were always available in the Flathead.

Dr. Bonnet has made a $1 million endowment to the Logan Health Foundation to support breast cancer services in the Flathead, honoring his sister Carol who died from breast cancer in 2003.

“And I thought we can do something here that no one has done, and we need to do it because the women here deserve it,” said Dr. Bonnet.

In 2002, Dr. Bonnet had a vision for a coordinated care center for breast disease at Logan Health in Kalispell.

“When I arrived in Kalispell which was in 1978 there was not even a mammogram option here.”

Dr. Bonnet saw firsthand how valuable it is to have proper testing and breast cancer treatment options close by after a diagnosis. His sister Carol had to travel hours each way to receive Breast cancer treatments.

“And it was during those times that I became a rabid physician looking for a better way and that’s how we got to where we are,” added Dr. Bonnet.

Since 2006 Logan Health has operated the Breast Center providing advanced breast cancer treatment methods and screening options in the Flathead Valley.

“We’re in a position here to offer everything that’s available in any urban city or hospital and we can do that knowing now that there’s an endowment being made,” said Dr. Bonnet.

The $1 million endowment called “Carol’s Fund” can be used for any purpose regarding breast cancer.

Breast Surgeon Dr. Melissa Kaptanian said Carol’s Fund has already helped purchase a second Breast MRI Coil.

“Breast MRIs can be used as supplements along with mammograms for women with dense breast tissue, this is really cutting edge, it’s very new and being able to double the capacity in one fell swoop is truly a testament to the kind of change that Carol’s Fund will continue to make,” said Dr. Kaptanian.

Dr. Kaptanian said Carol’s Fund will help keep Logan Health ahead of the curve when it comes to Breast cancer services.

“The power of an endowment is that I don’t need to know what we need five years, ten years, fifteen years or twenty years in the future, thanks to Carol’s Fund that money will always be there.”

She said Carol’s Fund will help save lives for generations to come.

“So many of us have a Carol in our life, our mother, our sister, our friend that was touched by breast cancer, thanks to Dr. Bonnet honoring his sister Carol, we will be able to care better for all of those Carol’s in our lives, not just now but into the future.”

More information on Breast Cancer services offered by Logan Health can be found here.