Integrated Cancer Center at St. Charles

Health System launches campaign for 24,000 square foot expansion at Bend Campus. 

Spearheading a pre-emptive strike in the ongoing war against cancer, St. Charles Health System has launched a comprehensive capital campaign for its new integrated cancer center on the Bend campus for the betterment of all its patients.

Treatment centers and oncology specialists in Central Oregon have increased greatly in the last decades, with the region becoming an oasis of hope and health, drawn by the quality of life and opportunity to work with the industry’s leading cancers researchers, doctors and staff.

John Jepson is the senior philanthropy officer at the St. Charles Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the hospital that exists primarily to raise community support for the St. Charles Health System. He’s been with the hospital for three years and is thrilled about the ambitious project.

“We did a feasibility study in early 2012 and determined we could raise the needed funds, $5.7 million, toward the $13.6 million overall budget to build an integrated cancer center” he said. “Anther part of the project is to help sustain the Nurse Navigator Program, to help guide cancer patients through the maze of doctors and caregivers to make the experience smoother and much more efficient.”

The St. Charles Health System has already committed $7.9 million toward the entire 24,000-square-foot expansion and renovation endeavor.

“The challenge has been that the cancer center is split between two locations, the radiation oncology services unit is here at the Bend campus and the medical oncology unit is a mile away. Both those facilities are running at near full capacity, requiring patients to shuttle back and forth. By bringing it all together under one roof it allows the hospital to get all the doctors and their services together.”

The overall theme of the campaign is highlighting the idea of complete cancer care close to home.

“It’s been proven that St. Charles has great physicians with successful track records,” Jepson said. “We’re in the top five percent of programs in the nation based on clinical outcomes. The thing we didn’t have was all oncology areas and services integrated in a concise, efficient way in one convenient location.”

St. Charles’ approach to cancer care is about more than just addressing a patient’s medical needs. It’s holistic in its approach, addressing their psychosocial, financial, spiritual and other needs to support the whole family. The new center will combine best practices, beauty, tranquility and healing into one neat footprint to give cancer patients and family members the services they need.

Designed from the ground up with patient, family, staff and community input, this facility will focus on taking a true patient-centric approach to treatment with details like floor-to-ceiling windows providing natural light and mountain views to enhance the patient experience. An outer walkway gives patients access to clinic exam rooms, while caregivers can enter these rooms from a centralized team workspace, placing all resources in one easy spot.

“Cancer care begins with community education, screenings, diagnosis, treatment, recovery and long-term survivorship and this future facility accommodates all of that.

“Everything we’re doing is one-on-one and group meetings where we’re trying to educate and share the story of the new cancer center to identify interest levels. We’re starting small, it’s sort of a ripple effect, and trying to reach and communicate with as many people as we can. We want to be at the halfway point by the end of July, then begin a broader community campaign after that.”

The capital campaign includes a group of loyal volunteers helping with the campaign, so it’s not solely the St. Charles Foundation working on this charitable enterprise.

“We started the project by asking the members of the St. Charles foundation board, the health system board of directors, the oncologists and the senior leadership of the hospital and additional caregivers.”

Their goal was to first raise one million dollars internally before venturing out into the community for the remaining amount.

“We felt it was very important for the St. Charles leadership team to step forward first as an initial driving force.”

Dr. Linyee Chang is the medical director of St. Charles Cancer Center and co-chairs this capital campaign with Todd and Lorri Taylor. She is a renowned radiation oncologist who has been in practice in Bend for the past 19 years.

“A Comprehensive Cancer Center with all cancer services under one roof has been a dream for so many years to those of us taking care of cancer patients,” she said. “And to take on this co-chair role to see this become a reality is an honor.”

As Chang attends cultivation luncheons talking with potential donors about their cancer campaign, what inspires her is not merely a building, but how that building will symbolize what they are creating together.

“It’s a new model of care that will allow us to deliver the best care possible to ensure superior outcomes in a healing environment that others will seek to emulate. A model to help us achieve our mission of “better health, better care, better value.”

Plans are for the St. Charles Cancer Center to be completed by summer of 2014. As of press time, prime naming opportunities for the celebrated center remain available at all levels.

The major contractor for the project is Howard S. Wright and Associates based out of Portland. Construction is presently underway in the first phase by putting in a new parking lot between the Heart Center and The Center to alleviate parking challenges.

“In front of the hospital we’ve put in a new replacement irrigation pond and water feature to help beautify the area,” Jepson explained. “It makes the entrance look better but also has a working purpose, allowing us to irrigate the grounds.  Now the work is focused on filling in the dirt area and creating a pad where the new oncology wing will rise. When finished, it will be a fully integrated cancer center that should last far into the future.”

To go with its new center, St Charles has a new mission statement – “Creating America’s healthiest community, together.”

“I think this is a way for a partnership to be created. This is a community-owned hospital run by members of the community, so it truly is a situation where people are coming together for the greater good to battle one of the top killers in the world.”

For donations or more info go to www.stcharlesfoundation.org or call John Jepson at 541-706-6953.