The Cancer Center at Harrington receives approval to treat its first patients

The Cancer Center at Harrington has received approval to treat its first patients, Harrington Hospital announced today.

"We expect to start seeing patients immediately," said Diane Becquart, Director of The Cancer Center at Harrington.

The approval was granted today by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health following a safety and quality review of the facility.

The opening of The Cancer Center at Harrington means that patients in the region will be able to receive comprehensive, state-of-the-art cancer treatment close to home, said Harrington Hospital CEO Ed Moore.

"With the opening of The Cancer Center at Harrington, our dream of providing advanced cancer treatment, including both radiation therapy and chemotherapy under one roof, has become a reality," Moore said. "We had our groundbreaking only a little over a year ago, and now cancer patients in our region have an alternative to driving long distances to receive first-rate care."

A Community Open House will be held at The Cancer Center at Harrington and Radiation Therapy Services, 55 Sayles Street, Southbridge, on Wednesday, December 9, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Physicians, nurses and staff will be on hand to welcome the community and explain the center's services. Light refreshments will be served.

The Cancer Center at Harrington, operated by Harrington Hospital, provides infusion services (chemotherapy) and is staffed by oncology physicians and oncology nurses. To optimize patient safety, The Cancer Center at Harrington has its own pharmacy suite. The American Cancer Society Resource Room, which is sponsored by the American Cancer Society, provides a comfortable library-like setting where patients and their families can access literature and use a computer to learn more about cancer treatment. The room is staffed by volunteers who can assist in the research.

"Patients and their families will be able to avail themselves of social work services and counseling to deal with the psycho-social aspects of cancer," Becquart said. "In addition to physicians and oncology nurses, we will have a social worker on site. Our goal is not only to treat cancer but to repair hope.

"We are realizing our vision of a cancer treatment program that focuses on the community," Becquart said. "We are developing a lecture series, and we will have a boutique where local residents as well as our patients undergoing chemotherapy will be able to purchase scarves and wigs.

"Our center will soon add breast reconstruction services, pain management services, urology services, reiki and other complementary therapies," Becquart said.

"Harrington has built a state-of-the-art facility with the patient's privacy and comfort in mind," she said. The facility features private and semi-private spaces for infusion services, private examination rooms, and personal touches such as a soothing waterfall display in the main waiting area. The waiting room is also a wireless hot spot, allowing those with WiFi capability on their laptop computer to access the Internet and e-mail.