Provision Cares Proton Therapy Nashville celebrates treatment completion of 500th patient and growth of patient access to proton therapy in Tennessee

 

Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville celebrates the completed treatment of their 500th patient, reminding us that cancer and cancer treatment do not delay during a global pandemic.

Since October 2018, middle Tennesseans have had access to this advanced form of cancer treatment. Mary Lou DuBois, President of Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville says, “As the first and only proton therapy treatment provider in Nashville, we have been well received by our partner, Tennessee Oncology, and by cancer patients in this region, who are seeking cancer treatment options.”

On Tuesday, August 25, Jason Willett from Charlotte, Tenn. eagerly rang the victory bell to mark the completion of his tonsil cancer treatment, becoming the 500th patient to complete treatment at Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville. “The reason I chose proton therapy is because it’s a lot less invasive and a lot more precise than traditional radiation,” says Willett. “The care I’ve received at Provision has been excellent. The people’s attitude there is positive, and the overall atmosphere is welcoming, warm, and friendly. I just want to thank everyone there from the bottom of my heart.”

Proton therapy is a cancer treatment that precisely targets the tumor and lowers the risk of damage to nearby healthy tissue and organs, thereby reducing side effects, complications, and the risk of developing another cancer. Dr. Josh Mondschein, a Radiation Oncologist at Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville, says, “It has been a privilege to serve as Mr. Willett’s treating physician, and work alongside a team that makes a difference in the lives of cancer patients and their families every day.”

Access to proton therapy has grown since first coming to Tennessee in January 2014, from 13 operating centers to 35 operating centers today in the USA. On April 25, 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill titled “Proton Therapy Access Act” that expanded coverage of proton therapy to the Tennessee state benefit plan, effective January 2020. This will benefit thousands of lives in Tennessee.

 

About Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville

Provision CARES Proton Therapy Nashville, a partner of Tennessee Oncology, was the first proton therapy cancer treatment center in Middle Tennessee. Provision provides a unique combination of personalized, comprehensive cancer care for patients, offering proton therapy, one of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world. Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses a single beam of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer, treating tumors by directing radiation into the tumor site where doses of radiation destroy cancerous cells. Proton therapy minimizes the short and long-term side effects of delivering radiation energy to a cancer patient, which can protect a patient’s quality of life during and after treatment.