Leona Helmsley's foundation is supporting rural health care across parts of the U.S.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has spent more than $850 million on rural health care since 2009 and provided $6 million toward a new cancer center in Miles City, Montana.

When Marcy Smith was advised to get six weeks of radiation after breast cancer surgery, the distance to the nearest center initially made her decline. A new cancer center opening in Miles City, Montana — about an hour from her home — allowed her to complete treatment while keeping her daily routine, and she is now cancer-free. Key facts: - The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has directed more than $850 million to rural health care in the Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions since 2009. - The trust contributed $6 million of the $17 million raised to build the new cancer center at Miles City’s hospital. - Rural health systems have faced steady strain: 81 rural hospitals closed between 2005 and 2023. - Congress allocated $50 billion over five years for rural health, but independent estimates cited in the article say that amount may cover roughly a third of projected losses from Medicaid cuts. - Walter Panzirer, a Helmsley trustee who started the foundation’s rural health program, says his experience living in the region shaped the focus on services such as telemedicine and mental health care. Summary: The foundation’s funding has helped expand local services including cancer care, telemedicine, psychiatric and cardiac support in smaller communities, creating new treatment options closer to home. Undetermined at this time.