Gonzales Site of 4th Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center Location
Groundbreaking kicks off partnership with St. Elizabeth Hospital
Photo available for download. Captions available at end of release.
(Gonzales, LA) – On January 25th Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and St. Elizabeth Hospital held a groundbreaking ceremony for their new outpatient cancer treatment center. The facility will be located on West Highway 30, across from St. Elizabeth Hospital. The two organizations are partnering to increase local and regional access to state-of-the-art cancer care affording more people the opportunity to receive quality cancer care right at home, in their own community.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with St. Elizabeth and community physicians in the greater Ascension area to support cancer care,” said Todd Stevens, president and CEO of Mary Bird Perkins, to those present at the well-attended event. “It is important that people have access to high quality healthcare services in their community where they live and work.”
President and CEO of St. Elizabeth Hospital, Dee LeJeune, said the partnership would provide a broader range of critical services for cancer patients. “Together, we are addressing an important need – local access to high quality cancer care,” explaining that this would make it possible for St. Elizabeth and the physician community to provide a broader range of services for cancer patients in the Ascension area. “We will be expanding our services to expand our mission.”
As part of this joint venture, Mary Bird Perkins and St. Elizabeth Hospital will continue to jointly enhance outreach services with a grassroots approach to saving lives through education and early detection. The organizations have a history of partnering to provide free educational and cancer screening initiatives. With the support of local healthcare professionals, it is expected that these efforts will only grow in the future, ultimately improving the health of the community-at-large for generations to come.
“St. Elizabeth excels within our health system,” said John Finan, president and CEO of Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. “This is a wonderful opportunity to partner with another excellent organization.” And, Gonzales Mayor Johnny Berthelot praised the joint venture calling it “a convenience that truly enhances our community.”
The new center in Gonzales will feature advanced technology, including a high-energy linear accelerator utilizing image guided radiation therapy (IGRT); intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); and leading edge imaging using positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT). It will be supported by the medical physics team on staff at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, a program part of a partnership between Mary Bird Perkins and LSU. The radiation oncologists who will provide patient care at the new center are members of the Southeast Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group practicing exclusively at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center locations.
Other speakers on the agenda included Richard Lipsey, chairman, Board of Directors, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and Hickley Waguespack, chairman, Board of Directors, St. Elizabeth Hospital. The Blessing of the Ground was offered by Deacon William B. Blair, Jr., St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church.
Ascension Parish President Tommy Martinez; state Rep. Elton Aubert, D-Vacherie, and several Parish Council members including President Pat Bell, District 4; Dempsey Lambert, District 5; and Chris Loar, District 7 also attended the ceremonies.
For more information about St. Elizabeth Hospital and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, please visit www.steh.com or www.marybird.org.
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About St. Elizabeth Hospital
Sponsorship by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOLHS) has provided the means to expand and upgrade St. Elizabeth Hospital to meet the needs of the growing area it serves. A 95-bed community hospital with 400+ team members and 100 physicians on staff, St. Elizabeth is one of four FMOLHS hospitals, including Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, St. Francis Medical Center in Monroe and Our Lady of Lourdes in Lafayette.
About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center and its C.A.R.E. Network
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center has been fighting cancer for over 35 years. It is the only independent, nonprofit cancer treatment, education and research facility in Louisiana providing state-of-the-art
radiation therapy to all community residents regardless of ability to pay. The Center has locations in Baton Rouge, Covington and Hammond.
The mission of the C.A.R.E. Network (Cancer Support Services, Awareness and Education, Research and Early Detection) is to lessen the burden of cancer in the community. Established in 2002, it is funded by gifts from the community and provides hundreds of programs and services, including free cancer screenings, to thousands of people every year. The research and academic medical physics partnership with MBPCC and Louisiana State University is also funded in part by the C.A.R.E. Network.
Photo 1 Caption
Pictured (l to r): Hickley Waguespack, chairman, Board of Directors, St. Elizabeth Hospital; Dee LeJeune, president and CEO, St. Elizabeth Hospital; Todd Stevens, president and CEO, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center; Richard Lipsey, chairman, Board of Directors, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center.
Photo 2 Caption
Pictured (l to r): Dr. Maurice King, Dr. Craig Vitrano, Dr. John Fraiche, Dr. Rao Narra, Hickley Waguespack, Brenda Truxillo, Dee LeJeune, Todd Stevens, Richard Lipsey, Johnny Berthelot, Deacon William Blair Jr., Donna Saurage, Allen Robbins.