Danbury Hospital Opens Praxair Cancer Center

By Steve Bigham

The war on cancer in Western Connecticut took a big step forward this spring with the opening of the Praxair Cancer Center at Danbury Hospital. The new 31,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to providing cancer patients with modern medicine in a comfortable environment.

Entering the front doors of the center, visitors are greeted by the huge “tree-of-life” stained glass mural. This art piece has come to symbolize the facility’s soothing atmosphere, which can go a long way toward making people feel better. More importantly, however, the tree of life is a symbol of the center’s commitment to helping people survive Connecticut’s number one killer. The center offers expert diagnosis and treatment by multidisciplinary teams, clinical research, community education, and screening and supportive services.

And, as Dr Vincent T. DaVita of the Yale Medical Center pointed out during the May 8 dedication, breakthroughs in medicine will take treatment of the disease to new levels during the next decade.

“There has never been a better time to have a modern cancer center in your city, and this one does you proud,” he said.

This is indeed the dawn of a new era in cancer care.

The $15 million center, named in honor of Praxair, Inc’s $2 million donation, encompasses a large section of the first and third floors of the Stroock Building. Looking more like an upscale hotel than the stereotypical sterile hospital, the Praxair Cancer Center’s surroundings reflect the promise that today’s medicine brings. There’s even a library, complete with cozy chairs and fireplace, for those patients looking to do research on their medical conditions.

Hospital officials are working hard to promote the new center and to show that cancer patients do not necessarily have to travel far for treatment. They can remain at home and receive the same level of care.

Now all of Danbury Hospital’s cancer facilities are consolidated into one place. It is here that you will find some of the area’s finest medical oncologists, including John F. Pezzimenti, MD, Danbury Hospital’s director of Cancer Services. There is also a highly experienced staff of radiation oncologists and two new oncology surgeons on board. And the renovation of the 22-bed outpatient unit is expected to begin later this year.

There is a chemotherapy infusion area (that looks more like a library) where patients can receive their chemotherapy treatments in a relaxed atmosphere. The area features a brightly lit indoor courtyard complete with fountain, helping patients restore that all-important sense of well being. No longer does a chemotherapy treatment have to be a scary experience only to be followed up by sickness. Cancer patients can now receive treatment while curled up with their favorite book or while chatting with a friend. The latest drugs help alleviate the nausea that used to always follow. And Praxair’s “Look Good, Feel Better” program through American Cancer Society helps those patients who lose their hair because of the chemotherapy.

The Philip Hadley Radiation Oncology Unit relies on the latest technology to pinpoint the exact location of a tumor.

The entire facility is decorated with cherry wood and soft colors to make the center as pleasant as possible.

Danbury Hospital diagnoses about 1,000 cases of cancer each year, according to cancer center director Patrice Hough, who has been involved in cancer care at the hospital since 1979. Mrs Hough, a Newtown resident, has seen first-hand the needs of patients over the years and she played a key role in the design and layout of the center. Construction took 15 months.

“Everybody tried to bring their expertise to the center so that we could design a center that was patient friendly in a healing atmosphere, but also an area that allowed staff to work efficiently,” Mrs Hough explained. “Doctors are in close proximity to one another and this allows for more interaction and one-on-one conversation.”

Previously, Mrs Hough, a registered nurse, oversaw a staff that was located in two different buildings and on three different floors.

“My staff is all with me now and we communicate constantly,” she said.

Communication is one of the keys to the successful treatment of a cancer patient. The center facilitates the inter-disciplinary, team approach that doctors now use to treat cancer. Its conference room seats 28, large enough for “tumor board” meetings designed to allow different doctors to assess each individual’s case shoulder-to-shoulder.

“We provide truly up-to-date treatment for cancer patients: clinical trials, special surgery, sentinal node biopsy for breast cancer, all the most up-to-date treatments,” Mrs Hough said. “We’ve got a lot of specialists who do great work.”

Danbury Hospital is the Western Connecticut Affiliate of the Yale Cancer Center, and the Praxair facility provides on-site access to Yale’s Cancer Genetic Counseling Program. Dr Pezzimenti believes the Cancer Center stands as a symbol of the promising future for cancer care.

“We understand the disease better and have more treatment options in our arsenal of care,” he said. “Improved chemotherapy drugs, biologic response modification, and antibody targeted therapy allow physicians to customize a care plan for patients.”

Physicians say early detection can be the difference between life and death and Danbury Hospital now has the ability to tell patients what their chances of getting cancer are. Perhaps the biggest potential advancement in cancer care is the Human Genome Project, which helps doctors determine whether a patient may have cancer-causing genes.

For more on human genomes and the Cancer Center, call 797-7893.