Before the Logan Health Breast Center came to life, there was a hand-drawn diagram showing why centralized care would make a difference for women. Dr. Jim Bonnet’s vision for a coordinated care center for breast disease stood in stark contrast to the hundreds of miles his sister, Carol, had to travel for her breast cancer treatment. In 2002, he began building something Carol never had—a specialized hub of services that would ease the burdens of patients like her, saving them days of travel, moments of unnecessary worry, and offering them the comfort of care closer to home.
Carol Ann Bonnet had a gentle kindness in her eyes and a smile that exuded warmth. She was a quiet force of compassion, finding joy in the simplest moments and sharing that light with everyone around her. Carol passed away from breast cancer in 2003 at the age of 59. Diagnosed at 48, she faced her disease with strength and courage, undergoing a partial mastectomy, lymph node dissection, and radiation. “There wasn’t a medical oncologist in her hometown, so she drove two hours each way for her oncology appointments and then had to drive another hour and a half in the opposite direction to get her daily radiation treatment,” explained Dr. Bonnet. “Through her ordeal, I became very passionate about breast disease and decided to leave our surgical group to develop a dedicated breast cancer center in the Flathead Valley. In 2006, with the support of the community and a generous gift honoring Paul Bass, Logan Health began building the Breast Center in Kalispell and recruiting a fellowship-trained breast oncology surgeon from a major cancer center.”
Although retired from medicine since 2007, Dr. Bonnet continues to find ways to care for his community. In September 2024, on behalf of his sister, he established Carol’s Fund at the Logan Health Foundation through a $1 million endowed gift. An endowed fund is a sustainable and permanent source of support, with the principal invested with a portion of the fund’s balance available to provide ongoing financial support. Investment appreciation and others making additional gifts to Carol’s Fund will ensure a growing annual impact.
“It took years to grow the Breast Center into what Logan Health now offers its patients,” said Dr. Bonnet. “Carol’s Fund is my final devotion to many years of observation and participation and hope for a better future for cancer patients. Even during her treatments, Carol’s concern was always focused on helping others.”
Carol became a passionate advocate for early detection and treatment of breast cancer, dreaming of a day when every person concerned about breast cancer, or discovering a lump, would have immediate access to medical advice, early diagnosis, and expert treatment— especially those living in rural communities.
“Breast cancer is the most common cancer we see in the women we serve, and it is the second leading cause of cancer death,” said Melissa Kaptanian, MD, physician executive and breast surgical oncologist at the Logan Health Breast Center. “These women are our grandmothers, mothers, sisters, friends—they are the ‘Carols’ in our lives. The effect of breast cancer goes beyond one person and really impacts us all. That is why caring for all the Carols in our Valley is my passion.”
Carol’s Fund is already making a difference in supporting the health of Flathead Valley women by contributing, along with a generous donation from PacificSource Health Plans, to the purchase of a second breast MRI coil. On September 10, the FDA required that health care facilities providing breast imaging services notify patients of their breast density in their mammography reports. Logan Health was leading in this area long before the mandate—informing patients about their breast density and offering education as a preventive measure for breast disease. The addition of this new MRI coil will enhance access to supplemental screening by upgrading technologies in both the MRI and Mammography suites, enabling the team to find cancers that may not be visible on a mammogram.
“Dr. Bonnet was one of the dedicated members of the surgical community here in Kalispell,” Dr. Kaptanian said. “We stand on his shoulders. The Logan Health Breast Center and the enduring commitment to assure that women affected by breast cancer do not need to travel outside the Valley for their care was his idea, and only through the force of his will and the coalition of community members, survivors, and other stakeholders he brought together does this service exist. Carol’s Fund is by no means the first gift he has given all of us.”
Carol’s Fund provides essential resources that enhance care and support for women facing breast cancer, reflecting the values Carol championed throughout her life. Each contribution growing the fund ensures that women facing this disease receive the comprehensive care they deserve. Donations to Carol’s Fund not only honor Carol’s memory, it reinforces a legacy of hope and resilience that will benefit countless families for years to come.
For more information about Carol’s Fund, to make a gift to the fund, or discuss opportunities to support health care in our community, please contact the Logan Health Foundation at foundation@logan.org or (406) 751-6930.