Louisiana native and artist Tracy Plaisance was on the trip of a lifetime in France when she experienced two grand mal seizures. Upon returning home she was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord.

Plaisance chose to stay close to home and undergo treatment at Ochsner’s Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. She said she believes staying close to home and continuing to paint played a big role in her healing.

Apart from resuming to her normal life, Plaisance also said the close relationships she has formed with her care team has also made a difference. “I can’t say it enough, my care team is like my family … to have the close relationship with your team like I have with mine at Ochsner, it’s so important.”

Comprehensive cancer care close to home is possible with the newly expanded Gayle and Tim Benson Cancer Care center. The newly expanded building has 115,000 square feet over six floors that house the latest technology, innovative treatments and a compassionate, holistic approach. Other features include 58 personalized and semi-private patient chemo infusion stations that look out over the Mississippi River.