A new oncology centre officially launched at Netcare Pinehaven Hospital last night, has been established with the aim of providing patients within the West Rand region with a comprehensive range of cancer treatments and the highest quality care in order to better serve the needs of patients based on the West Rand and surrounding areas.
Pic: At the launch of the Netcare Pinehaven Hospital oncology centre are (from left to right): Dr Jason Naicker, medical oncologist; Dr Tsholofelo Motsoane, radiation oncologist; Dr Yastira Ramdas, radiation oncologist; Dr Paul Paradza, radiation oncologist; Noeleen Philipson, Netcare director Cancer, Psychiatry and Rehabilitation Services; and Jacques du Plessis, managing director of Netcare’s hospital division.
“Netcare identified a need for a cancer treatment centre offering a complete oncology service within the West Rand, which is one of Gauteng’s fastest growing regions,” said Noeleen Phillipson, Netcare’s executive responsible for oncology, who spoke at the launch of the new state-of-the-art facility.
“We are consequently immensely proud of this new centre which will allow patients of the region to access truly holistic cancer treatment right here on their very doorstep. Ill patients will consequently no longer have to travel to centres such as Johannesburg to access such high levels of treatment and care,” she pointed out.
“It is estimated that as many as one in five South Africans have a lifetime risk of developing one form of cancer or another, and it is becoming increasingly critical that we are able to meet the requirement for diagnostic and treatment services locally. This is particularly important as all forms of cancers are best identified and treated at an early stage, as this results in the best possible outcomes in the great majority of patients.”
Phillipson says that Netcare is one of the fastest growing cancer care providers in South Africa and has always been committed to providing its patients with outstanding and all-inclusive cancer care services.
“This new centre has been specifically developed to enable Netcare Pinehaven Hospital to offer an integrated approach to care that includes chemo- and hormonal-therapies, and radiation treatment, surgery, or if required, a combination of these approaches.
“The services at this fine centre are provided through multidisciplinary teams including some of the country’s leading oncologists, surgeons and other highly trained healthcare professionals and support staff using the very latest in diagnostic and treatment technologies,” adds Phillipson.
“We recognise that each and every patient is unique and Netcare Pinehaven Hospital is now able to provide a highly personalised approach to treatment, care and support through this new facility.”
According to Phillipson, the centre is superbly equipped, the chemotherapy department having 10 treatment stations that serve patients during the working week. The radiation unit, meanwhile, has been equipped with a cutting edge Elekta Synergy linear accelerator, which is able to deliver highly targeted radiation therapies.
“An emphasis has been placed on ensuring that patients have support services, such as counselling and support groups, close to hand, as in most cases these form a critical aspect of the treatment and recovery process.”
Phillipson said that a special garden had also been developed outside the centre to enable patients access to an attractive and serene environment during their treatment sessions.
Pogiso Tlholoe, manager of the radiation unit at Netcare Pinehaven Hospital, notes that the Elekta Synergy linear accelerator enables a wide range of treatment options including external beam radiation therapy; intensity modulated therapy, volumetric arc therapy, as well as stereotactic radiosurgery.
“This means that clinicians are able to precisely tailor treatment to specifically meet the radiation treatment requirements of each particular case,” she explains.
“The Elekta Synergy is equipped with integrated imaging tools that assist oncologists to visualise and precisely target tumours with high doses of radiation while preserving healthy tissue. These also enable medical professionals to develop an optimal treatment approach prior to therapy, as well as to deliver the most targeted radiation treatment possible during the procedure itself,” she explains.
Marietha van Vuuren, general manager of the 100-bed Netcare Pinehaven Hospital, which was commissioned in 2015 and is situated close to Cradlestone Mall, says that there has been a growing demand for a cancer treatment centre that can offer patients a comprehensive oncology service under a single roof in the West Rand region.
“The centre substantially extends the hospital’s ability to meet the needs of our cancer patients locally and I believe that its launch is a cause for hope and celebration.
“I would like to extend my thanks to Netcare, the Netcare Oncology division, as well as the various doctors and staff members at the hospital who have made this much-needed new facility possible,” she concludes.
Ends
Issued by: Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA) on behalf of Netcare Pinehaven Hospital
Contact: Martina Nicholson, Graeme Swinney, Meggan Saville or Pieter Rossouw
Telephone: (011) 469 3016
Email: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]