Carson-Tahoe Hospital is planning to construct the only stand-alone, fully-integrated cancer center in the state of Nevada. The Carson-Tahoe Cancer Center, located on the site of the planned regional medical center campus, is scheduled to break ground in the summer of 2003 with a construction timeline of approximately 18 months. A capital fundraising campaign to build the new center began January 16, 2003.
“In the past few years Carson-Tahoe Hospital has greatly increased its cancer services,” said Edythe Garvey, Carson-Tahoe Hospital cancer services director. The present Cancer Resource Center, located in the historic Adams House, promotes cancer survivorship in an area that encompasses Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties, South Lake Tahoe and Bishop, Calif. “We’re proud of the caliber of services we offer the community. We only wish they were more conveniently located for our patients. Presently, a patient may have to visit as many as three sites during one day of treatment. A stand-alone center is extremely important to the integrity of our program.”
The 38,000-square-foot, two-story building will be totally dedicated to treating cancer patients and providing support to their families. Along with medical oncology, radiation oncology and ancillary services such as laboratory and imaging, several areas of the aesthetically pleasing center will be designated for support services. A conference center with teleconferencing capabilities is also being planned for professional and community meetings and seminars. The current Cancer Resource Center will be relocating to the building and will be renamed the George and Helen Hoffmeier Litts Cancer Resource Center in acknowledgment of a generous $1.25 million donation from George Litts.
Other support services planned for the new center are a Cosmesis Room to address the special cosmetic needs of cancer patients, including the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Good” program and space for prostheticians to provide on-site fitting of prostheses. Also in this room, the Cancer Resource Center will continue its tradition of providing scarves, hats and wigs at no cost to patients undergoing treatment. The new center will also include a warmly furnished, homelike room designated for patients and their families needing psychological support during diagnosis and treatment. This room will also be used for support groups, patient/physician interaction and grieving.
“Clinical treatments are a given for cancer patients, but our center’s role will be more than just clinical support. We will be multi-faceted,” stated Garvey. “We will offer art therapy, yoga, Fighting Fatigue programs, financial counseling and more. We’ll be there through our patients’ entire journey. We are dedicated to supporting our patients in all ways. Watching them make that mental transition from ‘cancer victim’ to ‘cancer survivor’ is gratifying— we see it happen everyday.”
Costs to construct the Carson-Tahoe Cancer Center are estimated at between $10 million and $12 million. The Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation is conducting a capital campaign to raise the funds and has set a minimum goal of $4 million towards the construction of the building.
“We’re very pleased with the success we have had up to this point. As of March 1, 2003 we have raised over $2 million,” said Pam Graber, executive director of the Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation. “We are deeply gratified at the generosity of the people in our community who are making this dream come true. We would love to raise the entire $12 million to build the center. Raising the entire amount would allow us to own the building from the day it opens, and that would be very beneficial to our cancer services programs.”