Gulfport hospital opens new Cancer Center to help prevent, diagnose, treat cancer

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Patients in need of cancer treatment in the Gulfport area now have a new place to get help.

The Cancer Center at Singing River Health System’s Gulfport hospital is officially open. A ribbon cutting was held Friday to mark the grand opening, which also coincided with the one-year anniversary of the hospital’s opening.

From early screening to radiation, chemotherapy and counseling, the center offers a comprehensive approach for patients. State-of-the-art technology is used to aide healthcare providers in early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

“We work with Oschner so we have access to their tumor boards, as well as other stem cell transplants and a whole host of state-of-the-art surgeries and different modalities to take care of patients,” said Dr. Solly Chedid, an oncologist with the new Cancer Center in Gulfport. “All of our patients are presented to medical tumor boards so you have a whole family of physicians taking good care of you in terms of radiation doctors, surgeons, as well as medical oncologists, pulmonologists, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, etc. In terms of our ability to take care of patients, we have a whole system here that is 100% behind our patients to give them the care that each person needs individually and what’s best for them.”

It’s a service that is particularly needed in Mississippi, say healthcare officials.

“The wait time to see a new hematologist is sometimes as much as two or three months so we can see patients same day or next day for benign hematological issues, as well as cancer diagnoses,” said Dr. Chedid. “This community, unfortunately, is over-represented when it comes to cancer diagnoses it seems like. And there’s a relative shortage of physicians in the area, and there has been a huge need for medical oncologists and hematologists. So being able to provide another place for patients to go to and a safe harbor for them to get good care is really kind of a privilege from my perspective.”

The new Cancer Center is the first north of I-10 in Gulfport, providing much-needed services for residents in the area. Singing River Health System also has a Cancer Center in Pascagoula and one in Ocean Springs.

Singing River Health System is also supporting those have been diagnosed with cancer by hosting a community event on Saturday, Oct. 2. The Sunset on Cancer Run will begin at 5:30pm at Fort Maurepas on Ocean Springs Front Beach. People of all pages are welcome to sign up. See below for details or click here to register.

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