Important Milestone in Partnership
(Houma) – The new state-of-the-art Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC facility opened its doors to the community on Wednesday, October 12 – expanding the Center’s comprehensive services in the Bayou Region.
The new Center is an important milestone in a partnership that began three years ago.
In 2008, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Terrebonne General Medical Center and Cancer Care Specialists formed a partnership with one goal in mind – to offer residents of the Bayou Region a comprehensive cancer center, close to home.
Since then, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC has grown and evolved to meet the needs of the community, but its mission has remained the same: to improve survivorship and lessen the burden of cancer.
This mission is especially important in Louisiana – a state that suffers from high cancer mortality rates due to lack of access to care, delayed diagnosis and other factors.
“With the new Center, we hope to provide not only the very best in cancer treatment, but to also demonstrate our commitment to creating a healthier community,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO of TGMC. “With this facility comes a full service program with support for both the patient and family, education and screening initiatives at no cost to the underserved community as well as the latest in technology and expertise of the very best doctors in the region.”
As a comprehensive cancer facility, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC provides the full continuum of cancer care – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship.
The Center’s services include screening, mammography, education, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery. Clinical trials and patient navigators – nurses who guide patients through the treatment process – are available as well.
“The vision for the new Center was to improve access to health care, so that patients can be close to their families and friends while undergoing treatment,” said Mike Voisin, Chairman, TGMC Board of Commissioners. “The new Center will provide the opportunity for world-class cancer care now and for future generations to come.”
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC offers world-class diagnostic and treatment technology, including the Elekta Infinity linear accelerator. Elekta technologies offer the world’s most advanced linear accelerators and radiation oncology electronic medical record system, enabling faster, more accurate treatments.
“With this new building and the modern technology inside it, we are in a better position to serve our patients and the Bayou Region,” said Todd Stevens, president and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “The patient experience will be enhancedthrough the convenience of this new facility and enriched by the genuine compassion and sincere concern shown by our dedicated staff.”
The Center is nationally accredited with commendation and recognized for excellence in cancer care by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) – the gold standard for community-based cancer care. The multidisciplinary cancer program offers immediate access to a wealth of technology and clinical expertise for the Houma community and the greater Bayou Region.
Multiple free cancer screenings, community education and support opportunities are offered throughout the year. Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC’s mobile medical clinic, the Early Bird, helps to bring free cancer screenings and early detection services to the uninsured across the Bayou Region at times and locations convenient to them.
“We know that patients who have local access to care do better when surrounded by family and friends,” said Donna Saurage, chair of the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Board of Directors. “Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC makes this possible by bringing expert cancer care close to home.”
The new center – constructed by the McDonnel Group – is also the first building in the region and the first hospital in Louisiana to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.
And while these achievements are something to celebrate, the real focus of the new Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center at TGMC is the patient.
“This Grand Opening is exciting for so many reasons – from the state-of-the-art technology, to our dedicated cancer care team, the eco-friendly construction and beautiful architecture,” said Dr. Raul Doria, medical director for Mary Bird Perkins at TGMC. “The biggest reason to be excited; however, is the many benefits this new facility will bring to the patients. We built it for our community, our friends, family and anyone in need of the resources, tools and expertise necessary to defeat cancer.”