Bensons’ $20 million donation supporting Ochsner system’s expanding cancer care in services, research and medical center
Ochsner Health System recently announced a $20 million donation – the largest in the history of the organization – from New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owners Gayle and Tom Benson to expand cancer care services and advance clinical research within the Gulf South region.
The donation will go toward a major expansion of the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center, which St. Charles Parish residents have access to via St. Charles Parish Hospital. Patients diagnosed with cancer can currently access services at the Benson Cancer Center at Ochsner Medical Center through their primary care physician at St. Charles Parish Hospital.
“The expansion will allow the Cancer Center to effectively double in size, providing more space to critically needed complex treatments,” said Anthony DiGerolamo, CEO of St. Charles Parish Hospital. “There will be greater access to clinical studies including cutting-edge drug and anti-cancer agents.
“It is our belief that no Louisianan should ever have to leave our state to access the care they need. The services provided at The Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center ensure that patients can be cared for locally, giving them confidence knowing that Ochsner is a destination for nationally recognized care – close to home. As part of the Ochsner System, the patients of St. Charles Parish Hospital and the residents of the community have continued access to these much needed services.”
According to DiGerolamo, to gain access to the center, patients should consult with their primary care physician or specialist at St. Charles Parish Hospital if they’ve been diagnosed. Patients would then be referred to a patient navigator at the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center and cared for by a multi-disciplinary team – doctors, nurses, social workers, dieticians – who will support them throughout their treatment.
Louisiana ranks high in the United States for overall cancer death rates. By 2030, annual cancer deaths are projected to rise to 13 million worldwide.
Ochsner Cancer Institute treats a wide variety of cancers including Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, Lung (thoracic), Liver and Upper Gastrointestinal; Blood and Hematologic Tumors – including Bone Marrow Transplantation, Gynecologic Oncology; Dermatologic cancer – including a Mohs Dermatology Surgery Clinic; Head & Neck Cancers; Orthopedic Tumors and Sarcomas; Neurological and Spinal Tumors, Neuroendocrine Tumors and others.
“When we first opened the cancer center, we knew that our partnership with Ochsner would allow us to help so many people in our region,” said Tom Benson. “For years, too many of our local and state-wide residents needed to seek cancer care away from home and we needed to address that. Gayle and I could not be more pleased that so many patients today are receiving world-class cancer treatments right here in our hometown. We are proud of our association with Ochsner and the Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center. There is much more work to be done as the number of new cases continues to grow each year. This gift will help ensure that we can offer the best services possible to our residents of Louisiana and the Gulf South.”
The Cancer Center expansion will include:
– 100,000 square feet of expanded oncology clinics across five floors with the addition of over 50 personalized and semi-private patient chemo infusion stations; more than doubling the patient space in a relaxing and compassionate atmosphere.
– A full spectrum of specialty-trained physicians who employ a team approach to treating cancer patients through weekly conferences and open and integrated communication. – Comprehensive approach to urologic, gynecologic and surgical oncology for all cancer types.
– A clinical cancer research program with a large range of clinical trials for all cancer types; including cutting edge drugs, new agents and anti-cancer agents for treating cancer.
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