Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center

08/29/2026

Our genetic screening study, ImagineYou, doesn't just identify potential health risks – it can tell you a lot about your genetic traits and how your body reacts to external factors and circumstances.

By enrolling, you can access this information at no cost and help improve health care in our communities.

Visit https://san.fo/3D1GPTa to enroll and learn more about the study.

08/28/2026

A large component of survivorship is community, says Shelby Terstriep, MD. The cancer survivorship programs at Sanford Health offer support groups, therapists, a survivorship specific clinic, education, retreats, and even cancer survivor mentors.

But Dr. Shelby Terstriep and her team know that cancer doesn’t just affect the survivor; they have support for every person involved.

Learn more: https://san.fo/4zO3uLh

08/28/2026

A rotator cuff tear is a common cause of shoulder pain among adults. It can be debilitating, and millions of people in the U.S. seek medical care for this injury every year.

Learn more about rotator cuff injuries, what causes them and how they can be treated. https://san.fo/4snUsRc

08/27/2026

Sanford Thief River Falls Medical Center has a new phone number! To contact the medical center, please call 218-683-4240.

08/27/2026

As a parent, it is important to be aware of the possible signs and symptoms of excess anxiety in your child.

Learn about what to look for and what you can do: https://san.fo/3JP4m9H

What is childhood anxiety exactly? Learn about what childhood anxiety looks like, help your child cope, and how to seek help if needed.

08/27/2026

"The fact that they all found their home at Good Sam is pretty amazing."

Siblings Christina Mahoney and Anthony Arroyos found their calling at Good Samaritan Society - Bloomfield. After a start in nursing, following in their mother's footsteps, both have grown into leaders in their community.

Watch their story:

After a start in nursing, siblings Christina Mahoney and Anthony Arroyos have grown into leaders in their Good Samaritan community.

08/26/2026

As a registered nurse on the labor and delivery unit in Bemidji, Bethany Anderson helps with a lot of births. Most of them are joyous occasions for mothers and their families, but sometimes things don't go as planned.

Ten years ago, one of her patients, Amanda, was facing the devastating reality that her first baby had no heartbeat at the time of delivery.

Bethany helped her grieve and years later, when Amanda found out she was pregnant again, she knew exactly who she wanted to be there for her rainbow baby's delivery.

Watch the story:

Amanda Templin and Bethany Anderson, RN, are friends who met in labor and delivery. Anderson has since seen Templin through two births.

08/26/2026

"I thought I understood the role of a caregiver. But now I know I really didn't understand it until I went through my own health problems," said Randy Smith. "The care I've received from my Sanford team – watching them put on a uniform every day and stand with us when we're at our most vulnerable – you see that they truly do care. They put their heart into it."

Randy, an author, was diagnosed with Stage 4 thyroid cancer in August 2024. His first book, The Road Unknown: My Cancer Journey, contains poetry he wrote while in the ICU at Sanford Fargo. The faith-based collection recently won an International Impact Award for poetry.

Read more: https://san.fo/4wUKuYG

08/26/2026

Izzy Steer collapsed on the basketball court just as she was getting back to doing what she loves most.

Facing a second torn ACL recovery, at college seven hours away from home, she has a team of people across the region aimed at helping her get back on the court.

Read more: https://san.fo/4gSP4lj

08/26/2026

Using AI to get advice on sensitive mental health topics can be dangerous.

Jon Ulven, PhD, a psychologist with Sanford Health, says chatbots can deliver what is known as "harmful validation." They reflect back what a person hopes to hear, working from a small piece of context, rather than that person's life and history.

Learn more: https://san.fo/4wRDUSL

08/25/2026

Sanford Health is one of multiple cancer centers in the country joining a new lung cancer trial.

The trial studies an individualized vaccine built from a patient's own blood and tumor tissue. It enrolls people diagnosed with Stage 1 lung cancer. Mark Gitau, MD, a medical oncologist at Sanford Health, says results could take three to five years.

Learn more on WDAY TV News: https://san.fo/4grtKC8

07/21/2026

A big thank you to all of our Sanford Health Thief River Falls team members who represented us at the Pennington County Parade!

We loved celebrating with our community, sharing smiles, handing out treats and showing what makes our team so special. Thank you to everyone who walked, rode and helped make this year's parade a memorable one.

We can't wait to see you again next year!

05/28/2026

Did you know? 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. Regular skin screenings play a critical role in detecting precancerous and cancerous conditions early—helping prevent more serious, advanced disease.

In recognition of Melanoma & Skin Cancer Awareness Month, our Thief River Falls dermatology providers—supported by our nursing and patient access teams—offered 190 free skin screenings to benefit our community on May 8.

Thank you to Dr. Maingi, Heather Waldal, Derm NP, Patrick Jahn, Derm NP, and their dedicated staff for making this possible! We’re proud of our Sanford team for bringing this important event to life.

05/11/2026

Celebrating the incredible team at Sanford Health Thief River Falls! While not everyone is pictured, two weeks ago we recognized all of our employees celebrating years of service milestones. We are so lucky to have such talented, dedicated individuals caring for our community every day.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to Jackie Kalinowski, BSN, RN who our medical clinic nurse manager in Thief River Falls. She was awarded the Transformational Leadership Award for the entire Sanford Fargo market.

Happy Nurses Week May 6-12 to Jackie and all of our nurses!

05/08/2026

We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with Thief River Falls students and give them real world, hands-on exposure to healthcare careers. These opportunities go beyond what a textbook can offer for these future healthcare leaders!

05/05/2026

Learn more about parenting the love and logic way from Thief River Falls Behavioral Health on Saturday, May 16 from 9 am - 4 pm. This event is for parents of children ages 0-5 and will be at TRF Evangelical Free Church, 211 Arnold Ave N in Thief River Falls.

Lunch provided. Register here: https://san.fo/4dlL5fs

Contact Dene Hovet at 218-395-0155 with any questions.

04/14/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Sarah Hamad, who has achieved board certification in lifestyle medicine.

Lifestyle medicine is a medical approach that uses healthy lifestyle habits to prevent, treat and sometimes reverse chronic conditions. Some examples of lifestyle medicine treatment options include: whole food plant-predominant nutrition, positive social connections, stress management and regular physical activity.

Dr. Hamad is also board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. She is a Blue Zones certified physician, which signifies expertise in applying longevity principles such as plan-forward diets, natural movement and stress reduction to clinical care.

Learn more about Dr. Hamad or schedule an appointment here: https://san.fo/3Q00EAt

03/30/2026

We had an incredible time hosting four local Northwest Minnesota high school students for a MedEx session with our surgery team! This hands-on experience was designed to give students a real look into healthcare careers, bringing them behind the scenes to explore the skills, teamwork, and passion that drive surgical care.

Providing opportunities like this is something we truly value. Investing in early exposure is essential to building our future workforce, especially in rural communities. Thank you to these students for spending time with us. We’re grateful for the chance to give back in a meaningful way.

We had a blast hosting and are excited to continue offering more sessions like this throughout the year!

12/17/2025

Happy holidays from Sanford Health Thief River Falls!