MD Anderson’s Newest Satellite a Bright Spot
By Kathy Harlan
People journey from the far reaches of the world to take advantage
of the faculty, staff and programs of The University of Texas M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center. It is known for innovative cancer treatment,
cutting-edge cancer research, and comprehensive education programs.
About half of all its patients are treated with some form of radiation
therapy, often requiring daily treatment, and M. D. Anderson offers a
world-class radiation oncology center.
When he was diagnosed with cancer ten years ago, Jack Rackowski,
a Clear Lake resident, approached
his radiation therapy visits a little
differently than most patients. Jack
parked a half-mile away from the
treatment facility he had to visit each
day in the Texas Medical Center and
walked both to and from his sessions.
A top-level distance runner, he
took the difficulties of getting to his
appointments as a challenge.
For most people, however, it is a
daunting experience to encounter
the Texas Medical Center’s maze
of hospitals, congested traffic and
construction projects. Treatment
can take anywhere from ten to 30
minutes and is usually administered
once a day, five days a week, for
a period of two to nine weeks.
Parking is limited and expensive and
sometimes a far walk from the garage
to the treatment facility. Being
treated for cancer is an emotional
experience even without the added
stress of difficult access.
CHRISTUS St. John Hospital in
Nassau Bay is known for its consideration of every patient as an individual.
The personal element provided at St. John, plus its outstanding doctors
and programs, make it the choice of many patients. St. John officials
felt that in-depth cancer treatment was the one element missing from
the hospital’s formidable medical arsenal so they approached M. D.
Anderson about establishing an on-site radiation treatment center.
The M. D. Anderson Radiation Treatment Center in the Bay Area, located at the CHRISTUS St. John Hospital campus in Nassau Bay, is
a welcome addition to the health care resources in the area. It makes
the process of radiation therapy more convenient for many patients.
Not only is the travel distance shorter, free reserved parking close to the
building is available.
This center, the fifth satellite created by M. D. Anderson, opened
on February 20 of this year. Other M. D. Anderson satellite radiation
treatment centers are located in Bellaire, The Woodlands, Richmond
and Katy.
