When treating cancer, one doesn’t just treat a disease. There is a person attached to that disease.

That is the philosophy of the staff at Dexeus Oncology in Enid.

“The patient is not just a disease,” said Kris Rogers, BSN, RN. “There are several things that make up a person.”

Aside from a health and body, there are mental, emotional and spiritual components that make up a person.

“All that is combined in how you approach them and how you treat them,” Rogers said.

The staff at Dexeus Oncology makes a special effort to establish a relationship with each patient, rather than treat them as another chart.

“We do treat the whole patient,” said Rene Dexeus, RN, MSN, OCN, clinical and nursing coordinator. “We have an excellent nursing staff here. They all have their own area of expertise.”

Just as various strengths can be found in any given group of people, the staff members of Dexeus Oncology each have his or her niche and are allowed learn, develop and excel in those areas.

“Each department has their own area of expertise, and they can fine tune what needs to be done,” said Dexeus.

The entire staff, in order to best treat the whole patient, strives to meet his or her every need.

“We are here to help them, and we are here to be the shoulder to cry on or the person they lash out at,” said Rogers.

While every person comes into the world with a family of some sort, not every person receiving treatment for cancer has the support of a family.

“All of us start with a family,” said Dexeus. “But so many people come in here alone, and they are scared.”

Maggie Skinner, RN, OCN, said it also is important to help patients through the different psychological stages of being diagnosed with cancer.

In addition to treating the disease and treating the thoughts and emotions that come with it, many patients are under added stress due to the cost of treating cancer.

“Our billing department here is phenomenal in helping get patients placed on public and private assistance,” said Dexeus. “We’re always here to help the patients.”

Dexeus Oncology has many longtime staff members, but when a new staff member comes everyone pitches in through a mentoring process and helps the new staff member in his or her training and growth.

“Education does not stop when you left your school,” said Dexeus.

Each day Dexeus Oncology sees more than 100 patients of all ages and stages in life.

“Treating the whole patient encompasses going through the stages of their lives,” said Rogers.

“All the staff here is very caring and very compassionate,” said Dexeus. “They genuinely care for the patients.”