By Mark Puppe
Dr. Jessie Lindemann’s mission-driven transformation and vision for medicine
Cancer is prevalent, countless people suffer from it, and everyone knows someone with it.
In Fargo and far beyond, the Roger Maris Cancer Center is rightfully recognized as one of the top cancer centers in the nation. It makes immeasurable contributions to cancer treatment and is built upon a foundation of dedication to cancer patients and research, proven medical professionals, and comprehensive transparency
Nonetheless, it is important to know that Roger Maris Cancer does not battle cancer alone. The entire community can also be grateful to other medical professionals and specialists leading the fight, especially those who may not be widely known.
Jessie Lindemann—cancer survivor, medical doctor, healthcare agency advisor, mission-driven healthcare advocate, and business owner— has emboldened her passion for improving medical care and cancer survivorship by opening her own clinic in north Fargo: Willow Health.
Overcoming Cancer
Willow Health provides primary care, women’s health, and cancer survivorship services that adapt to every stage of life. By specializing in cancer survivorship, Lindemann builds care around patients’ specific needs, treatments cancer patients receive, and the long-term effects they may cause.
The story driving Willow Health began in 2003 when Lindemann worked as a chemist and was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma—a form of cancer affecting organs, bone marrow, and the immune system.
Chemotherapy was challenging and led her to reflect deeply on her treatment, resilience, and path forward. Chemotherapy did work for Lindemann, but she did not accept survivorship as her pinnacle. She embraced and acted on her newfound determination to enhance others’ health. Next step? Medical school.
Mid-Life Medical School
Lindemann made the extraordinary yet confident decision to set aside an established career to attend medical school. She enrolled at UND, completed coursework with distinction, and graduated as the most-senior member of her class at thirty-nine years old. Most medical school students graduate at 27.
Despite Lindemann’s career shift and age, medical centers promptly invited her to join their team. As intended, she was working with patients directly and doing her best to make sure they understood processes and what to expect. She also assured patients that, as their doctor, she wanted to hear their questions and uncertainties and help them to be confident in the service they receive.
However, Lindemann came to believe that existing operational structures don’t always enhance medical care, nor do they enable her to build relationships with patients or personalize care to the levels she and fellow doctors aspire to deliver.
“Regular primary care is important, but if your doctor doesn’t know what you’re like when you’re healthy, they’re less likely to recognize what you’re like when you’re sick,” Lindemann said. “Primary care for cancer survivors continues to be a large, unfulfilled gap in medical care. My life’s work is to try to close that gap.”
She opened Willow Health in September 2024 so she could work to close those gaps with greater flexibility.
Dedicated Doctor, Motivated Business Owner
Owning Willow Health enables Lindemann to perform as the physician she wants to be, effectively develop and deliver care that her patients need while building and sustaining personal relationships, empathy, and trust with them.
“I’m so happy I made the leap into independent practice,” Lindemann said. “I now have control of my patient panel, schedule, marketing, procedures, spending, and much more.” She also says the need for independent care is increasingly urgent because the corporate frameworks make those attributes increasingly difficult for patients to find and medical professionals to establish and fortify.
Nestled on North Broadway in Fargo, Willow Health operates within a welcoming brick and mortar facility. It hosts a simple yet welcoming environment for patients, a friendly and knowledgeable office manager, four exam rooms, a laboratory, and room to grow.
Despite the immense growth potential, patients feel seen and are confident in the personalized care that many people suspect to have been lost in the gaps created by fast-paced, high-volume medicine. Those patients reflect the repeat customers we business owners all strive to enlighten, impress, and retain through excellent service. However, unlike most industries, in medicine, the standard is higher. A customer’s physical well-being and oftentimes their life depends upon the service provider.
Regardless of the inherent challenges of business ownership, Lindemann offers more than ten years of experience as a medical doctor and twenty as a cancer survivor, and leaders across the medical community recognize the potential she offers to their organizations and those whom they serve.
National Ambassador as A Cancer Survivor
In March, just six months after launching Willow Health, the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, the advocacy branch of Cancer Nation, appointed Lindemann as one of only 11 Elevate Ambassadors selected nationwide during 2025.
Cancer Nation represents the millions of Americans who share the survivorship experience—living with, through, and beyond a cancer diagnosis. Lindemann’s journey attests to Cancer Nation’s belief that a cancer survivor’s experience has value and can be a transforming, positive force.
Primary care for cancer survivors continues to be a large, unfulfilled gap in medical care. My life’s work is to try to close that gap.” – Jessie Lindemann
As a Cancer Nation Elevate Ambassador, through training, mentorship, and advocacy, Lindemann will be working alongside leaders from across the country to improve cancer survivorship care right here in North Dakota.
She’ll be increasingly busy but no less dedicated to her business or patients.
“I think it’s human nature to take a terrible life experience and try to change it into something good for other people,” Lindemann said.
According to Lindemann, being an Elevate Ambassador facilitates attaining her goal to enhance personalized medical care for cancer survivors even further.
Fargo Cass Public Health
In April 2025, only weeks after her selection as an Elevate Ambassador, Fargo Cass Public Health announced Lindeman as its new health officer.
FCPH offers a wide range of services to all Cass County residents, including family planning and STD testing, Immunizations, WIC (the Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program), Victim Impact Panel, and Server Training.
When asked to share her thoughts about moving forward as the health officer, Lindemann outright answered, “Just keep going, keep doing as much as you can. Keep coming up with new ideas and figure out ways to best serve our community together.”
She’s doing exactly that
According to FCHP, as health officer, Lindmann “provides guidance to the Board of Health and FCPH for the provision of essential public health services and functions, one of which is to assess and monitor population health status, factors that influence health, and community needs and assets.”
Further, this position is an opportunity for her to serve the entire community by helping determine how FCHP can best pursue its mission “to prevent disease and injury, promote wellness and protect community health.” A mission that every legitimate medical professional wants to move forward with and considers to be their personal and professional calling. They would never have survived medical school and training if they didn’t.
Testament to Lindemann’s perspective
My wife, Sarah, battled cancer for over a decade, was relentless in the fight, and immeasurably grateful to and confident in her own independent doctor, Tracy Martin, M.D.
Martin knew Sarah’s health, recognized what the changes meant, and knew when it was time for Sarah to pursue, not just know about, specialized treatment.
Sarah passed away nine years ago, but our daughter, now 13, and I recently crossed paths with Martin.
Amazingly, though unsurprisingly, Martin greeted our daughter, who has grown considerably over the past nine years, and me by name. She reintroduced herself to our daughter, they chatted a bit, and she asked our daughter to extend greetings to Sarah’s mom. Sarah, nor her mom and daughter, nor I were ever numbers or files to Martin.
Don’t get me wrong, exemplary medical care is not exclusive to independent physicians. My own doctor serves from a large medical center, and I’m elated to have been her patient for over twenty years. My confidence in her is rooted in the relationship we have developed, the trust I have confidently placed in her, and her personal understanding of my health.
These are admirable and soughtafter attributes and traits that every patient hopes to experience in their medical care, and every doctor aspires to continuously render, but that Lindemann also says are increasingly difficult to find or establish. For that reason, I consider myself fortunate, and I believe they are distinct yet standard at Willow Health.
Just keep going, keep doing as much as you can. Keep coming up with new ideas and figure out ways to best serve our community together.” – Jessie Lindemann
The Future
Lindemann’s medical expertise, steadfast passion for her personal and professional goals, and entrepreneurial spirit ensure that patients have an authentic relationship with her as their doctor and, as a result, an in-depth understanding of their medical status and care.
This character makes Willow Health a living testament to how business ownership catalyzed Lindemann’s conversion of life-threatening medical struggles into efforts that make the world a healthier place, especially for cancer survivors.
Patients feel it, colleagues see it, and the community benefits from it.
Willow Health is located at 3101 North Broadway. Visit willowhealthllc.com to learn more.
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