Central Peninsula Hospital | Thrive | Spring 2018

Photo by Linda Gordon COMP L E T E CANC E R T R E ATME N T A beacon of light Rick Davis, CEO Central Peninsula Hospital We have been fortunate at Central Peninsula Hospital (CPH) to bring services to our com- munity that we didn’t always have. One goal continually topping the list for peninsula residents was to have a cancer center. We set out to do that and accomplished that goal, one step at a time. Through a several year, multi-phased process, I am proud to say that CPH now has a complete cancer treatment program. Breaking ground It began with building a radiation treatment facility. This was accomplished through a private/public partnership where CPH con- structed the facility and leased it to Peninsula Radiation Oncology—the same group of highly trained radiation oncologists that pro- vided care to our patients in Anchorage for years. Working together, we were able to get that standalone facility constructed in 2013. Our state-of-the-art facility and expertise We immediately began planning for a medical office building that would house many of our specialty surgeons and the remainder of the cancer treatment center. This would include a much larger oncol- ogy infusion center and medical oncology space for a physician we would bring to the community. That facility took three years to design and complete, and it opened in February 2016. After an exhaustive search, we recruited a fellowship-trained, board-certified medical oncologist to Soldotna. Darren Mullins, MD, began practicing at CPH in July 2017 and he brings more than 20 years of experi- ence in managing the care of patients diagnosed with cancer. Dr. Mullins receives great reviews from his patients and is highly respected among his medical staff peers. You won’t face cancer alone The cancer treatment services at CPH are among the best in Alaska, and we are proud to finally have comprehensive cancer treat- ment services. Our cancer center is a beacon of light for those who may feel like they are traveling a hopeless path following a cancer diagnosis. There are so many success stories already and many more to come. While projects like these take time, they are worth the effort in the end. No more traveling to Anchorage for our cancer patients—no more being away from family and friends during this very difficult time. Full-service cancer treatment is here to stay for our local residents. The cancer treatment center is what many of you have asked for, and it is now complete. A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO 2 Central Peninsula Hospital