A Commitment To Cancer Care in Alton

"This is the next step in OSF's transformation of healthcare in the Riverbend." 

That's how Ajay Pathak, president and CEO of OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Health Center describes the investment and commitment being made to create a new state-of-the-art cancer center on which ground was broken this week.

Already employing the region's top oncology team, the cancer center, which will be directly adjacent to the health center, will have the latest technology and tools. 

"Allowing for better clinical collaboration with our entire clinical team, frankly," says Ajay Pathak, president and CEO of OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Health Center. "From our radiologists, pathology, gastroenterology, urology, pulmonology - just really bringing that team together, focused around the patient."

The first of its kind in the Riverbend, the cancer center will address the growing need for outpatient oncology services and was designed always with the patient in mind. 

"We've designed every step of this cancer center to meet their needs," says Pathak. "From when they walk into the building, all the way through to every aspect of their care. And that's from detection through to survivorship." 

The center will include a new, high-technology linear accelerator, as well as focused radiation therapy. Along with medical oncology, infusion and dietary, the facility, essentially, will have everything a cancer patient needs at one location and under one roof.    

"Being able to now harness the latest technology and tools, in some sense, is to make their therapy much more efficient and their care much more timely and reducing that length of their overall care plan," says Pathak. It's really key, because, as many of you know, cancer care is really a team effort. When I say team - your health care team, but your family and your friends, as well. Transportation, caring for them, supporting them through that - and so, if we can really have the tools necessary to reduce their treatment time - it's going to be a benefit to our patients." 

OSF HealthCare has committed $12 million of the $14 million+ cost of the project. A community fundraising campaign to raise the additional $2.5 million will be announced shortly.

The cancer center is slated to open by the end of 2019.