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New Cancer Center Opens at Auburn Community Hospital New Cancer Center Opens at Auburn Community Hospital

By Geraldo Reid

ANCHOR: A new cancer center was opened today at Auburn Community Hospital. Residents had to travel to far locations to receive cancer treatments. Now, they have a care center close by. Our NCC’s Geraldo Reid is live to tell us more. Geraldo?

GERALDO REID (REPORTER): Thanks Jalyss. The ribbon was cut today to mark the opening a new cancer center in Auburn. Residents either had to travel the journey to this upstate cancer center in Syracuse or the one in Rochester. But, not anymore.

GERALDO REID: At the Upstate Cancer Center at Auburn Community Hospital, public officials, doctors and other members celebrated the opening of the new state of the art cancer center. Over the years, cancer patients of Cayuga County and Auburn had to travel far distances to get necessary care. But not anymore. Medical Oncologist and Director of Auburn Community Hospital Dr. Komal Akhtar said with the new cancer center, there are more ways to treat cancer at the facility without having to go too far.

KOMAL AKHTAR: Previously, we were only able to do chemotherapy when we were still part of the hospital there, and now we have radiation available. So they need chemo and radiation together, we can allow them to get that, and, you know, at the same facility without having to travel long distances.

GERALDO REID: Scott Berlucci is the CEO of Auburn Community Hospital. Him along with other collegues brought the vision of a cancer center to fruition in the community. He said that providing convenience to the community was important

SCOTT BERLUCCI: By bringing, you know, world class cancer care in this cancer center, right here to Auburn Community Hospital, it’s service excellence because we’ve partnered, you know, with the best in the business. It provides access and availability to the community.

GERALDO REID: James Giannettino is the Mayor of Auburn. He says that the treatment they will receive and the care from the doctors will be life enforcing.

JAMES GIANNETTINO: First and foremost, they’re going to get really good cancer care. There’s a caring staff here that, you know, take stock in their patients. So it’s going to be very personable care. And I think the most important thing is their personal support networks are here with them. Which is, you know, that’s a big component of cancer care.

GERALDO REID: AND THEN THE THE CUTTING OF THE RIBBON.

3…2…1 (***APPLAUSE***)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – On Wednesday, the ribbon was cut to celebrate the opening of a new state-of-the-art cancer center in Auburn. The cancer center is a part of the Auburn Community Hospital that looks to further evolve the treatment of cancer patients. It aims to provide the region’s most meticulous and comprehensive services for those battling cancer.

Cancer patients in Auburn and Cayuga County had to travel far distances to get necessary care. The cancer centers in the Syracuse and Rochester locations proved to be a long journey for those in need of urgent treatment.

The new Upstate Cancer Center brings the latest in design and technology to the Auburn community.

Dr. Komal Akhtar is the medical oncologist and director of Auburn Community Hospital. She said that the new cancer center offers a more progressive and convenient way of accessing treatment.

“Previously, we were only able to do chemotherapy when we were still part of the hospital there, and now we have radiation available,” she said. “So they need chemo and radiation together, we can allow them to get that, and, you know, at the same facility without having to travel long distances.”

Public officials, doctors and others gather for the opening of the center
Public officials, doctors and others gather for the opening of the center.
© 2024 Geraldo Reid

 

The $15 million cancer center will allow the hospital to add a more complex system of how to treat cancer patients. The pioneer behind the center and CEO of Auburn Community Hospital, Scott Berlucci, broke through with this mission five years ago.

He said making available an affordable and accessible care facility for the community was needed.

“By bringing, you know, world-class cancer care in this cancer center, right here to Auburn Community Hospital, it’s service excellence because we’ve partnered, you know, with the best in the business,” he said. “It provides access and availability to the community.”

The mayor of Auburn, James Giannettino, was pleased with the center’s opening for the community. Knowing that prior treatments had to take place 45 minutes to an hour away, he said that thorough care from the facility of doctors is guaranteed.

“First and foremost, they’re going to get really good cancer care,” he said. “There’s a caring staff here that, you know, take stock in their patients. So it’s going to be very personable care. And I think the most important thing is their personal support networks are here with them. Which is, you know, that’s a big component of cancer care.”

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