Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999

Publication: Hea

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Cancer-Ward-Milford-Monitor

Full Text:

HEALTH MONITOR: Regional Cancer Center Opens In New Milford

(with photos and sidebar)

BY KAAREN VALENTA

Last year when doctors discovered Thomas Ward had a rare type of cancerous

tumor in his leg, the 13-year-old Sandy Hook youth was referred to

Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City for treatment.

Over a period of six weeks, he made the long round trip between Newtown and

the hospital nearly every day for three minutes of radiation treatment.

"It was exhausting, but we did what we had to do," Thomas's mother, Laurie

Ward, said.

Now patients like Thomas will have another choice. A new $5.7 million cancer

center opened at New Milford Hospital this month. The New Milford

Hospital-Columbia-Presbyterian Regional Cancer Center began accepting patients

this week.

Designated as one of only 34 comprehensive cancer centers in the country by

the National Institutes of Health, the new 9,250-square-foot facility will

serve 16 communities. For the first time, cancer patients at New Milford

Hospital can receive radiation treatment and chemotherapy in one facility.

Until now, they had to travel to other hospitals, usually Danbury or Charlotte

Hungerford in Torrington, for radiation treatment.

Peter Schiff, MD, Phd, chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology at

Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, is director of the new radiation

oncology center at New Milford Hospital. Alfred Cretella, MD, is director of

medical oncology.

"The new center has sophisticated technology and advanced equipment that

elevates the region's level of cancer care to that of a university center," Dr

Schiff said.

The cancer center also will be the site of research into promising cancer

treatments. Linda DeMarco, MD, is the center's director of clinical trials and

protocols.

"Only three percent of the patients in the country participate in clinical

trials," said Dr DeMarco, who is a resident of Newtown. "We will provide the

standards for the rest of the country."

The regional cancer center offers comprehensive services including diagnosis,

radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, clinical evaluation, and support

services such as nutrition education, counseling, support groups, and hospice

care. The facility's radiation oncology center provides pre-treatment

simulation, 3-D conformal treatment planning, computer-controlled dual energy

linear accelerator radiation therapy and brachytherapy. All of this

state-of-the-art technology is designed to destroy cancer cells with great

precision while minimizing the risk of injury to normal tissue.

Every physician staff member of the radiation oncology center is a

board-certified radiation oncologist and a member of the teaching faculty of

the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. The center will

create 10 new positions and will have an annual operating budget of

approximately $1.2 million.

The new facility was designed by the architect, Ray Sevigny of Sevigny

Associates, Inc., to incorporate curving walls, soaring ceilings with

skylights of tinted glass, and other elements chosen to provide an atmosphere

that would contribute to the healing process.

"The design of the building was to promote life," Mr Sevigny said.

There are 11 chemotherapy stations complete with televisions, several

examination rooms, and rooms for radiation equipment and analysis.

The hospital raised $5.9 million for the center, including a $1 million

donation from James and Faye Preston of Kent. Mr Preston, who is chairman of

Avon Inc., heads the hospital's fund-raising campaign and is attempting to

raise an additional $1.5 million to pay for unanticipated construction costs

and to enlarge the parking lot. More than $120,000 has been raised by the sale

of bricks which, inscribed with names and messages, have been laid to form a

walkway between the cancer center and the hospital.