2018: A Year of Thanksgiving

By Todd Stevens, President and CEO

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the opportunity to express thankfulness for the many ways our community has come together to advance the Cancer Center’s mission and serve more patients and their families.

We are grateful for both those who entrust us with their care and the community supporters who generously give of their time and resources. And personally, I’m thankful for the great group of physicians and team members whose kindness and compassion are uniquely matched by their clinical and professional skills.

Following are a few highlights from the year that we especially reflect on with gratitude. Please click on the bold text to learn more:

Doing More to Fight Cancer

We ushered in 2018 by deepening our longtime collaboration with Cancer Services. It remains a significant resource to meet the emotional, financial and physical needs of patients and family members, and our goal for this partnership is to touch even more lives.

In the spring, the new Breast & GYN Cancer Pavilion opened on the campus of Woman’s Hospital, creating a unique facility encompassing Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center’s cancer care expertise and Woman’s Hospital’s specialized care for women.

This fall, Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center partnered with Lane Regional Medical Center to provide medical oncology services, extending care to the community.

In March, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Hammond celebrated three decades of providing care for thousands of patients in Hammond and neighboring areas, including advanced technology, early detection and support services.

Communities Coming Together

Thanks to generous transformational donors like Rubicon, the Lanaux family and Benjamin Blanchard Memorial Foundation, we have extended early detection and prevention programs for communities at convenient, family-friendly events like the first-ever Live Well Northshore.

The Gonzales Area Foundation generously extended the Cancer Center’s survivorship program to Ascension Parish, in addition to helping fund a successful second annual Live Well Ascension, providing education and early detection services to residents.

Our communities continue to show unprecedented support for established and new fundraisers alike. The Gala Goes Gatsby made history as the first-ever combined event supporting both Mary Bird Perkins – Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Center and Cancer Services, and we saw great participation at the third annual Gonzales Gala, Roux for a Reason in Houma and the annual Gala in Covington.

Looking Within

Our talented team of cancer care experts continues to grow. Three new medical oncologists and one new radiation oncologist joined us this fall. We are thrilled to enhance our excellent patient care with their expertise, bright minds and compassionate hearts.

Recently, our physicians and clinical research team achieved a major milestone in advancing cancer care by enrolling the most patients in clinical trials through the Gulf South NCORP.

As always, we thank our hospital, academic and community partners for the role they play in extending community cancer care. I wish everyone a peaceful, joyful and hopeful Thanksgiving and holiday season.