Limited treatment options available locally for most Cook County cancer patients

Multiple cases of glioblastoma – a type of brain cancer – were reported among the local population who live in and near Cook County and across the WTIP listening area during recent years.

With the understanding that this type of brain cancer is rare, WTIP coordinated with officials from the Minnesota Department of Health to see if there was a possible explanation behind the uptick in this type of cancer being diagnosed among community members.

Click here to view the full report and findings of the investigation.

In addition to glioblastoma, there are other types of cancer that impact Cook County residents. There are some resources available for community members when a cancer diagnosis is reported in Cook County, according to Kate Surbaugh, the CEO of Sawtooth Mountain Clinic in Grand Marais. That being the case, most treatment for cancer patients takes place outside of the county, primarily in Duluth, the Twin Cities or Rochester, Surbaugh told WTIP’s Joe Friedrichs during a recent interview (audio below).

Click here to learn more about the services offered by the local healthcare facility. More information on local services is also available here.

Joe Friedrichs June 19, 2022