Friday, August 11, 2017
When a child or adolescent is diagnosed with cancer or blood disorders, the entire family begins a journey through treatment that can last several months to years. That is why the atmosphere, environment and support available where they receive care is so important.
Gifts from two local families will provide new family-centered facilities and services for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer and blood disorders at Beaumont Children’s. The gifts were announced at an Aug. 10 event celebrating the opening of Beaumont’s new Proton Therapy Center at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. The new facilities and services for children and adolescents will be located on the new proton center’s second floor and are under construction and scheduled for opening this fall.
Julie and Bob Skandalaris of Clarkston are supporting the establishment of a new, expansive clinic to be named the Skandalaris Family Center For Children with Cancer and Blood Disorders. It will relocate and nearly triple the size of Beaumont’s current pediatric hematology/oncology outpatient clinic, offering a beautiful, spacious and relaxing setting with eight exam rooms, a shared infusion area and four private infusion rooms for patients. The center will also provide easy access for local children and those from other states traveling to Beaumont for proton therapy treatment. Proton therapy can be especially beneficial for young cancer patients, who are most vulnerable to side effects of traditional radiation therapy.
Quicken Loans/Rock Ventures founder and chairman Dan Gilbert and Jennifer Gilbert are supporting the creation of the Gilbert Family Adolescent and Young Adult Program. This multidisciplinary program will provide medical specialists, psycho-social services, financial counseling, academic and mentor support for adolescents and young adults ages 12 to 24. Patients in this age range with cancer, blood disorders or other tumor-related conditions may have special needs that may not be met solely through pediatric or adult cancer care. The Gilbert gift will help bridge those gaps with specialized programs housed in the Skandalaris Center.
“We are extremely fortunate that two local families widely known for their generosity have made complementary gifts that together will take our services for children and adolescents facing challenging medical conditions to a new level of excellence,” said Beaumont Health Foundation President Margaret Cooney Casey. “We cannot thank the Skandalaris and Gilbert families enough for their exceptional commitment to helping these young patients and their families.”
Julie and Bob Skandalaris were inspired to give by the experiences of a family member who lost a brother to childhood cancer.
“Money is spent on cancer, but not enough on pediatric cancer,” said Bob Skandalaris. “We want Beaumont’s pediatric cancer team to have all the resources they need for patients and their families.”
The center will offer comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for infants, children, adolescents and early young adults with nearly every type of childhood cancer or blood disorder from a medical team with decades of experience. In addition to the latest therapies and treatments, the center will support children and their families with oncology-certified nurses, dedicated pediatric oncology pharmacists, certified child life specialists to reduce anxiety and ensure comfort, and a full complement of psychosocial, educational and nutrition experts.
The Gilbert’s gift was inspired by their son’s journey with neurofibromatosis and the excellent care he received at Beaumont.
“We know from Nick’s experience as a teenager fighting neurofibromatosis how critical targeted services are for this age group,” said Jennifer Gilbert. “We are pleased to help Beaumont provide this unique support for teens and young adults who face extraordinary challenges at an already challenging time of life.”
The National Cancer Institute has said teenagers and young adults with cancer, hematology conditions and benign tumors are in a “no man’s land” between pediatric and adult care. They may be treated in pediatric or adult units, leaving them feeling uncomfortable or isolated, with their special emotional and physical needs unmet. This can delay diagnosis and care. It can also affect access to cancer clinical trials, outcomes in cancer treatment, and access to information on fertility preservation.
The Gilbert Family Adolescent and Young Adult Program will provide access to subspecialists who focus on areas crucial for adolescents and young adults with cancer or other tumors, including orthopedics, neurology and reproductive endocrinology. This is critically important for team-based, comprehensive care of patients with neurofibromatosis, a lifelong condition that leads to tumor growth in various parts of the body. The program will also expand participation in clinical trials by adolescents and young adults, which have driven a dramatic reduction in mortality for younger children with cancer. It will combat stress and anxiety with peer mentors and support groups; provide educational support and referrals to help patients keep up with schoolwork and guide them on an educational path; and address psychosocial needs with a psychologist and social worker.
“Children or adolescents with cancer face months to years of treatment and those with blood disorders may have a lifetime of medical therapy,” said Kate Gowans, M.D., section head, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. “The physical and emotional burden of this is overwhelming for patients and families, so we never give up in our efforts to help them better manage these challenges. That’s what makes the gifts of the Skandalaris and Gilbert families so meaningful. These new facilities and programs will allow us to provide extraordinary family-centered care that better supports them throughout their treatment and beyond.”
Beaumont's new Proton Therapy Center opened its doors and treated the state’s first proton therapy patient on June 26. Proton therapy is a high-tech alternative to X-ray radiation that uses a scanning beam of proton radiation with online image guidance to destroy cancer cells with great precision, sparing adjacent healthy tissue with fewer side effects.
Beaumont's center is one of just 25 proton therapy centers in operation across the U.S. Learn more about Beaumont's radiation oncology program by calling 248-551-8402.