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Meet Kelsey O’Connell

Kelsey holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Montana and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Gonzaga University.  She started her social work career at Intermountain Children’s Home in Helena helping children who had experienced abuse and/or neglect.  She continued working with traumatized children while living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and returned to Montana in 2009 to complete her MSW.  While in school, Kelsey worked at the SPH Dialysis Center, where she provided resources and support to patients with chronic kidney disease.  She joined the MCC in June of 2011.  She is involved with Cancer Committee for Standards of Commission on Cancer, Tumor Board, and Relay for Life.

Kelsey currently divides her time between Medical Oncology and Radiation Oncology.  She helps patients with coordination of community services such as home health and hospice, arrangements for out of home placements, provision of educational material, resources for financial assistance, completion of Advanced Directives, and travel accommodations.  She also counsels patients through grief, aging concerns, end of life issues, and daily stressors of living with cancer.  Patients can refer themselves for social work services, or can be referred by physicians, nurses, or outside agencies.  Patients’ progress and concerns are communicated to physicians and other team members to provide the best plan of care.

Kelsey O’Connell is the social worker for Montana Cancer Center. You may see Kelsey over at the hospital or here in our office. She provides emotional support and can assist patients with housing, travel, and many other concerns.

Meet Dana Kopp

Dana Kopp is the librarian at St. Patrick Hospital’s Learning Center, which is located on the 1st floor of the Broadway Building. She or her staff can assist you or your family in finding reliable up-to-date medical information or recommend online resources for your own research. The Learning Center has comfortable seating areas, work tables, public computers, historical displays and circulating collections that are open to everyone. The Learning Center offers a recreational reading collection filled by book donations if you want something to read. Wireless is available around the hospital if you need to work from your laptop. Please stop by!

We have many other supportive staff members who make the nuts and bolts of our cancer center work. You may see these friendly faces around in the hallways…

Kelsey O’Connell, Social Worker

Dana Kopp, Library