I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. James Stevens, Radiation Oncologist and Medical Director of 21st Century Oncology, which has clinics in Crestview, Fort Walton Beach and Santa Rosa Beach. New radiation machines have been installed in both Crestview and Santa Rosa Beach, and the Fort Walton location will receive their new machine in January 2019. As a former employee of the Crestview location, I was able to witness first hand the treatment options that are made available to those who are diagnosed with cancer.
Dr Stevens stated "the benefit of the new machine is that we have more precision and are able to conduct treatments that patients were previously sent to Tertiary Institutions for, such as the University of Alabama, or treatment centers in Tallahassee and Pensacola," just to name a few.
When discussing Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Stevens was honest in stating that North West Florida has been identified as a region where patients are not actively seeking medical attention to allow for early detection. Reasons for this vary, but he is hopeful that regular promotion and educating people about this disease, as well as other forms of cancer, will change that.
One of the little known benefits of receiving radiation treatment here in these clinics is that they are able to work with your insurance companies, offer self-pay options and indeed support those who have no financial means, by providing programs to, in Dr. Steven’s words, "make it work."
Those patients who do undergo treatment are now able to benefit from tremendous breakthroughs and improvements in specialized treatment options, resulting in increased survival rates. The three methods of fighting this disease are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. As 21st Century offer all three, it really is a case of multi-disciplinary treatment being offered in a centralized location.
The new radiation machine is awe-inspiring and offers the best radiation treatment currently available. The ceiling of the radiation chamber features ceiling tiles that have been painted or decorated by former patients and family members and reminds patients they are not alone in this battle, plus it gives them something pleasant to focus on while undergoing daily treatment.
Cancer is an insidious disease that seemingly knows no boundaries. Thankfully, there are outstanding treatment options available locally, to those who are afflicted, as we continue to seek a cure for the disease.
Barbara Dale is the receptionist for the Crestview News Bulletin. Email her at bdale@crestviewbulletin.com.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Cancer