CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – The new cancer center that almost wasn’t built begins treating patients on Monday.
The $11 million Payson Center for Cancer Care was dedicated Sunday with a champagne toast.
Radiation and chemotherapy treatments are only part of what’s available. Patients can also visit an in-house dietician and a social worker for help with everything from paying for treatments to arranging transportation to and from the center.
A boutique will sell cancer-related products such as wigs, scarves, prosthetic breasts and more. A cancer research library will allow people to look up information and check out books on the disease.
Three of the center’s six doctors treat patients with chemotherapy. The other three specialize in radiation therapy. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to target the rapidly growing cells that make up cancer. In radiation therapy, radiation mixes with water in the cells to kill them.
The chemotherapy doctors practice with New Hampshire Oncology-Hematology, a seven-physician practice has offices in Laconia, Hooksett, Exeter and Derry.
The three other doctors are part of Radiation Oncology Associates, an eight-physician practice based at Elliot Hospital in Manchester.
The department chairman, Dr. Thomas Sheldon, is excited about the new center, in large part because some patients now will not have to travel to Manchester for treatment. “As much as possible, you want to save people that trip,” he said.
Although more than 450 cancer patients now travel outside Concord to receive treatment, totaling 10,000 trips a year, the state almost didn’t let Concord Hospital build the center.
In the summer of 2001, the state board which approves additions to medical centers turned down Concord’s application, saying it would take too many patients away from Elliot.
Splitting the patient pool between two centers could dilute the quality of care and make it difficult for each to foot the bills, state officials said.
But Concord Hospital officials said there was more than enough demand to support both centers. And, as the population aged and innovations were made in technology, the demand would grow even more.
Officials at both Concord and Elliot hospitals said a new radiation treatment center would take away some business from the Manchester hospital in the first 12 months, but that increasing demand over the years would push the numbers up for both.
After another round of hearings, the state overturned its previous vote.
The cancer center is part of a three-story addition that will serve as the new main entrance to the hospital.
The $7.5 million machine that will shoot beams of radiation into patients is in a ground floor, lead-lined vault. A 20,000-pound door keeps radiation from leaking out.
On the top floor is an open treatment pavilion, where up to 10 patients will be able to receive chemotherapy at a time.
A library is stocked with books on cancer and computers with Internet access.
“Anyone can walk in off the street and take out a book,” said Nancy Kane, the center’s executive director. “We wanted this to be a resource for everyone.”
AP-ES-06-01-03 0912EDT
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