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New Cancer Center Opens in Glenwood Springs

by KREX News Room
by Danielle Kreutter

Story Created: Sep 6, 2012 at 8:13 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 7, 2012 at 8:08 AM MDT

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo.- The Valley View Hospital Calaway and Young Cancer Center officially opened Thursday night, giving those living in the Roaring Fork Valley who are fighting cancer a place to receive radiation treatment in their own community.

Before the center was built, residents would have to travel to either Grand Junction or Denver to receive radiation treatment.

"Patients are ill and a drive in potentially prohibited weather is a problem," said Dr. Bruce Greene, director of radiation oncology. "A typical course of radiation therapy is administered once a day, Monday through Friday from anywhere from two to eight or nine weeks."

That was the case for many Roaring Fork cancer victims until now.

The Calaway and Young Cancer Center is a state of the art facility with a unique way of treating patients.

"It's the little things that really help our patients to heal and that's why we are doing some of the massage, acupuncture and music therapy," said Deb Wiepking, chief clinical officer.

With the alternative treatments comes the very latest in radiation technology.

"We've been fortunate to be able to commission the latest and most advanced radiation oncology equipment available anywhere in the world," said Dr. Greene.

That includes new equipment that increases radiation accuracy.

"That enables us to very precisely shape and sculpt the radiation dose distribution where the malignant tissues are, while sparing the normal adjacent tissues," said Dr. Greene.

It's all to make the patient's experience more personal. Officials say the decorations and even the color of the walls are meant to help with the healing process.

"This is a center that we have put our infusion of chemotherapy, medical oncology, radiation oncology and all of the supportive services in one center so the cancer patient only has to come to one place," said Wiepking.

The $26 million dollar facility was paid for by bonds, cash reserves and philanthropy.

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