St. Anthony Regional Hospital announced today (Wednesday) the launch of a $7 million capital campaign to build a $16.5 million regional cancer center on their campus in Carroll. Hospital administrators and the St. Anthony Foundation Board detailed the motivation and purpose for the project: to provide critical services to the hundreds of cancer patients they treat every year. The hospital was founded in 1905 by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) and operates on a feeling of responsibility for the health and well-being of the individuals in the 17 counties they serve. CEO and President, Ed Smith, says this new cancer center is an extension of their mission.
Smith adds patients see an increased efficacy in treatments when it is not necessary to travel long distances to receive them. Dr. Randall Hess, a radiation oncologist at the St. Anthony Cancer Center, says this project is an excellent addition to the services already offered to patients. According to him, it expands their existing treatments and brings more modern ones into the picture.
Stereotactic therapy is used to treat small tumors in the brain, and brachytherapy involves inserting a small amount of radioactive material in the body to kill nearby cancer cells. Hess says these new methods improve patient outlook and cut back on the number of treatments. The Foundation also announced the team of co-chairs who are heading the campaign, which consists of Barry and Mary Bruner, Tom and Jean Farner and Matt and Peggy Greteman. Bruner, a breast cancer survivor, says having modern cancer treatments only a short drive away is so important for patients and their families.
The campaign is already off to a good start, thanks to a $2.5 million cornerstone donation from the Franciscan Sisters, with the remaining $4.5 million being raised through donations from private companies and individuals in the region. The last $9.5 million comes from low-interest financing through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Details on the cancer center were not provided, but Smith estimates it could be operational by October of 2020. More information will be released at a future press conference, which is tentatively scheduled for April 23.
