Peggy Reed was a bright light with a competitive spirit and a caregiver’s heart. She was also an enthusiastic ambassador for the Avera Cancer Institute in Sioux Falls.
For nearly nine years, Reed traveled eight hours round trip from southwest Iowa to receive treatment for her rare blood cancer at Avera.
Reed’s Journey
When Reed was first admitted to Avera, she was ill with a disease that had not yet been properly diagnosed.
“I was very, very ill, and they brought me back. I’ve been coming to Avera for all my treatments and my appointments since,” said Reed. “They saved me, and I’m very loyal. This is where I want and need to be.”
Earlier this year, Reed’s myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPNs) developed into incurable acute myeloid leukemia, and she entered hospice care in the fall. But despite her tired body, Reed continued to tussle.
“I’ve been through so much stuff physically and health-wise. It’s been punching me, and I’m punching it right back,” said Reed.
Why Get Cancer Care at Avera?
Though she had options closer to home, Reed continued to commute to Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls because of the people. Her team includes Shristi Upadhyay Banskota, MD, her hematology doctor.
“She has really leaned on Dr. Banskota, and they’ve definitely grown in their relationship together,” said Reed’s daughter, Amber Reed. “My mom trusts her with this journey. That’s huge when you have a terminal cancer.”
“I trust my hematology team. Dr. Shristi is wonderful. Every single nurse, every single tech, the maintenance and housekeeping staff — they’re all very kind, very compassionate and very patient,” Reed said.
Reed was a radiology director and worked in health care for 35 years, giving her keen insight into what she wanted in her health care experience.
“They just know me. They know my body, and they’re forever seeking new ideas and trying to find anything that can help me and my pain management,” said Reed.
Avera Cancer Institute is the only accredited cancer care network in the region. The team’s collaborative approach ensures patients have access to the latest treatments available, including access to clinical trials.
Creation of Cancer Comfort Collection
Reed’s journey inspired her daughter to create the Cancer Comfort Collection, now in its ninth year. The program collects books, blankets, socks and other comfort items that go directly into the hands of patients.
A chance encounter with a thoughtful volunteer sparked the idea for Amber.
“The volunteer who wheeled Mom into her room came back and said, ‘Peggy, I couldn’t keep my mind off of you,’ and she brought her a scarf from the gift shop and put it around my mom in her gown. My mom sat up and said, ‘Take a picture and send it to your father,’” said Amber Reed.
A mission was born — to help cancer patients fight the mental battle while they’re fighting the physical battle.
Amber Reed has been surprised by the growth of the program and the community it’s built, evidenced by those who attend the annual fundraising events.
“In year one, some people came just for the event. Year two and three, they came because now they have someone they know who has cancer. Year three and four, they came because that person passed away and they’re here in memory of them,” said Reed.
The program has become a place of healing for those facing cancer and a place of celebration for those in remission.
Encouragement for Other Patients
Reed encouraged patients to honor the trust they have in their caregivers by being cooperative and receptive to what they ask.
“You can have all the best care in the world, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t work with them as a patient and be compliant and try to keep your spirits up,” said Reed.
Reed also urged others navigating cancer journeys to lean into community.
“Surround yourself with those who love you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. That’s a hard thing to do. You always want to tough it out, but in the end, it doesn’t pay,” Reed said.
Reed counted herself lucky for the support she’s received from family, including her daughter Amber, her son Clayton, her husband of 50 years Bob, her daughter-in-law Peggy, her extended family member Jon and her mom.
“I have a 92-year-old mother who I talk to every single morning who is a rock. I can’t imagine anybody having to go through this type of pain and mental ups and downs and wins and losses without support,” said Reed.
Keeping your sense of humor was big, too.
From treating herself to bold Coco Chanel glasses to laughing and bonding over skincare masks with her daughter, Reed took self-expression and self-care every bit as seriously as she has her health.
Paying It Forward
For all the good Avera gave Reed, she returned it in abundance through the relationships she nurtured, both in and outside the hospital.
Her influence is evident in the heated massage chair on the fifth floor — a gift from a friend who lost a son to cancer and paid forward the kindness she received in a hard time. It’s in the blankets folded on beds and notes of encouragement tied to socks to be given away. It’s in the fire her daughter has for forwarding the mission of the Cancer Comfort Collection. And it’s in every ring of the victory bell at the Prairie Center as countless patients benefit from Reed’s gift and her example.
Peggy Reed passed away shortly after entering hospice care in November 2025. We are grateful to Reed and her family for sharing her story.
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