Cancer care in every corner of the country

When Navy Veteran Jim Range felt a grape-sized lump on his throat in winter 2022, his wife and retired nurse, Rosie Range, knew something wasn’t right. When that lump grew to about the size of an orange in less than three weeks, she knew it was time to see someone.

At the time, the Ranges were splitting the year between their homes in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Mesa, Arizona, just outside Phoenix. Jim made an appointment with the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center because he didn’t have a private primary care provider in the area.

Range’s VA provider, Dr. Gerald Hsu, diagnosed him with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare type of T-cell lymphoma that can be linked to Agent Orange exposure in Vietnam War Veterans. Range served 13 months as a plane handler on the USS Ticonderoga in the Tonkin Gulf during the war.

For the Ranges, hearing this news was daunting, but it wasn’t the first time Range would receive a cancer diagnosis. Fifteen years earlier, he was diagnosed with both kidney and prostate cancer, leading to the removal of his prostate and one of his kidneys. The Ranges never considered the first two cancers related to his service, but when he was diagnosed with a third, it was clear it wasn’t just bad luck.

Range had boots on the ground during his service for one month and didn’t know if he was exposed to Agent Orange on land or on the ship. “I don’t know where I was exposed to it,” he said. “I told my doctor that I’ve been out for 60 years, and now I get cancer from it.”

For most of his life, Range received care through private insurance and providers. But he quickly realized how much easier it was to use VA for care. “The continuity of care was critical,” he said. “There were no delays, and [you] were picked up right away with the specialists and they were just as good technicians and doctors as anywhere else.”

Since the Ranges spend part of their year in Minneapolis near their family and the colder months in Mesa, Arizona, extensive coordination was a large part of Jim’s care.

He received specialized support from his nurse navigator, Rachael Norris, who helped him schedule appointments between Minneapolis and Phoenix, navigate electronic health records, and provide encouragement during his treatments. 

The Ranges also used the Veterans Transportation Service, which provides safe and reliable transportation to Veterans who need assistance traveling to and from VA health care facilities and authorized non-VA health care appointments.

After being in remission in 2023, his lymphoma returned in late 2024. Due to the unique nature of this recurrence, Range’s VA care team in Phoenix had to act fast and sent him to the Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center for specialized immunotherapy treatment.

Care coordination between VA and community providers ensures Veterans receive the timeliest, and best possible, care. Jim continues to receive palliative care and care coordination services through VA, while receiving immunotherapy treatment at MD Anderson.

If you are a Veteran or know a Veteran who has not yet applied for their VA health care benefits, learn how to get started.

Learn more about VA’s best-in-class cancer care.