SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — Ask anyone fighting cancer and they’d most likely tell you it is a scary, uncertain, and emotional experience.

Beacon Health System is offering patients advanced medical care and emotional support all in one place.

Beacon has really designed its cancer care program to provide the same level of care typically only offered in major cities.

A cancer diagnosis two years ago rocked Linda Bradford’s world.

“It was devastating. Right there in the office I broke down and I cried, and I cried.” said Bradford.

She hadn’t smoked since February of 1994, but after all these years, developed lung cancer that ultimately spread to her liver and kidneys.

“When you hear the phrase Stage 4, you almost think that this is your death certificate.”

In her case, though, it wasn’t.

Two months later, after treatment, Dr. Omer Toor and the Cancer Care Team at Beacon Health System didn’t detect any cancer.

Linda is now in remission and forever grateful for the care she received.

“I think God sent me to the best because these people are the best.” says Bradford.

Dr. Toor says cancer treatments have evolved tremendously within the past decade, whether it be through artificial intelligence or robotic technology, and Beacon is adapting to the industry changes, making it a point to offer patients a more tailored treatment plan exclusive to the region in which we live.

“We are the only healthcare system in the region who provides robotic biopsy options.” says Toor.

He also points to next-generation sequencing– analyzing the DNA microstructure of a tumor and determining how it’s going to behave.

But perhaps one of the biggest advancements nowadays he says, is immunotherapy in addition to chemotherapy.

By comparison, Dr.Toor added that chemotherapy doesn’t differentiate between a normal cell and a cancerous cell, which can lead to collateral damage and side effects.

“Immunotherapy on the other hand, goes into your body and teaches your immune system, your body’s cells, to kill the cancer cells.”

As for Linda, what was equally important as the medical treatment she received at Beacon, was the emotional support and being reassured in her most uncertain time.

“They are some of the most caring, patient, encouraging people that I could ever meet.” says Bradford.

Linda still has immunotherapy every three weeks.

Her advice to you is if you feel something is wrong, get checked immediately.

She initially went to see a doctor because she was tired all the time.

Linda also makes it a point now more than ever to eat healthily and exercise more.