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Hundreds of thousands of people in urban and rural communities of all sizes in Northeast Wisconsin now have access to premier cancer care north of Milwaukee with the grand opening of the ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center. The cancer center is the latest demonstration of how ThedaCare is committed to redefining better in health care.

Several special events are planned in the days leading up to the grand opening, including a community open house on Sat., Jan. 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to tour the facility and catch a glimpse of how patients and families will experience comprehensive cancer care at the cancer center. The center officially opens Mon., Feb. 1.

Patients already appreciate ThedaCare’s premier cancer care program, and are excited about the new cancer center. “When a person is diagnosed with cancer, they’re not the only one who has to live with the diagnosis,” said Sharon Guyette, a ThedaCare cancer patient and survivor. “Cancer affects the entire family. ThedaCare treated me like family throughout my cancer treatment. They talked in terms we could understand and helped keep me in a positive frame of mind. I got the best care I could have possibly received. If you can say a person who has cancer is lucky, I would be that person.”

The cancer center is the home base for the ThedaCare premier cancer program, which is focused on care that respects patients and their families by honoring their choices, brings a team of top-talent care providers to the table, and offers a broad range of treatments, services, and resources. The team of cancer specialists works closely with a patient’s primary care physician as part of the larger care team. The cancer center also offers access to the latest technologies and treatments, including clinical trials, connections to community resources, as well as support for navigating complex care steps, and has plans to add complementary care like yoga, music therapy, massage and nutrition.

That navigation includes a building design for the Regional Cancer Center that supports ThedaCare’s collaborative approach to care. With the team all in one location, and diagnostic, treatment and support services also strategically located in the center, patients and their families will experience more seamless, coordinated care.

“People already look to ThedaCare for their complex care needs,” said Matthias Weiss, MD, PhD, a ThedaCare hematology and oncology physician who will care for patients at the new cancer center. “The Regional Cancer Center is designed to facilitate collaborative care, enabling a large team of cancer care providers―surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, hematologists, palliative and integrative medical specialists, and many other support services―to provide patient centered cancer care in one location.  Our intent and resolve is to maximize a patient’s chance of cure through multi-disciplinary care and access to state-of-the-art therapies and research, like clinical trials.”

“It’s about time patients in northern Wisconsin have access to a cutting-edge cancer center that is close to home and offers great care in one, central location,” said Dean Gruner, MD, president and CEO of ThedaCare. “A cancer diagnosis is stressful and challenging, and we know that individuals with cancer are more than their cancer. So, we look at patients and families personally. Our aim is to provide peace of mind to our patients, include their families, and respect their choices, all while providing top-notch care. Whether a patient needs complicated medical treatment, emotional support, financial guidance or more, our premier program, now housed at the cancer center, will meet their needs.”

ThedaCare broke ground on the cancer center in February 2015. The facility was constructed by The Boldt Co. The $44 million project is near Encircle Health on Capitol Dr. in Appleton. Funding for key resources, services and therapies available at the center has been provided by the ThedaCare Family of Foundations and its CONNECT campaign, which aims to raise $7 million. Individuals may still make a contribution to the CONNECT campaign by clicking here or by contacting the Foundation office at (920) 738-6503.

For more than 100 years, ThedaCare™ has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast Wisconsin. The organization serves over 200,000 patients annually and employs more than 6,800 healthcare professionals throughout the region. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose, as well as 35 clinics in 14 counties and the ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center in Appleton. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.  For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.