Why Give to the Cancer Campaign?
The answers are many. But first and foremost, what would you give for an extra day of life? For healthy tomorrows? For cancer patients, each day is a gift - each day extra that can be spent with family and loved ones is priceless. Help us to provide the best possible care to cancer patients so that they may experience what so many of us take for granted everyday -- tomorrow!
Why Northridge Hospital?
The Leavey Cancer Center (link to Cancer Center on Hospital site) is already considered among the best places to go for cancer care in the Greater San Fernando Valley and surrounding area. We invite you to see why Northridge Hospital is a sound investment:
- The Leavey Cancer Center is accredited as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program - only 25-percent of hospitals in the nation have this prestigious recognition from the American College of Surgeons.
- Fully accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology.
- Northridge Hospital has the only Leksell Gamma Knife (link to Gamma Knife on Hospital site) in the region which is the gold standard for offering safe, effective and precise treatment for even the most complicated brain tumors and lesions.
Why Do We Need to Expand?
The $7.8 million expanded, 12,500 square-foot Cancer Center will centralize and streamline Northridge Hospital's already renowned oncology services. And, as a result of this enhanced center, the latest technology, and premium patient care, we will continue to attract the finest physicians, benefiting the whole community.
Northridge Hospital's Cancer Center:
- Serves more than 2 million people in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding area.
- Treats more than 11,000 cases annually
Expects a 15-percent increase in patient volume over the next five years.
Has similar or better than the national rates or patient survival.
- To better serve this growing population of cancer patients, the Leavey Cancer Center at Northridge Hospital must expand.
Did You Know? Cancer Facts for California:
- There are 15 new cases of cancer in California every hour of every day - a total of 360 a day.
- Due to advances in early diagnosis, education and screenings, the cancer incident rate has increased. However, because of early detection, there has been a significant decrease in cancer deaths for the first time since 1930.
- Cancer is the cause of one of every four deaths in California - the second leading cause of death in the state.
Technology
The Leavey Cancer Center (link to Cancer Center on Hospital site) is investing in the next-generation linear accelerator for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). This non-surgical treatment can precisely target and destroy a tumor while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue as well as alleviate some symptoms.
The patient is treated in numerous daily sessions over the course of several weeks, with the advanced technology of adjusting the treatments regularly for changes in tumor size, location and body movement, based on CT imaging scans.
Over the last 14 years, upgrades have been made to our linear accelerator improving the dosing and targeting precision resulting in a shorter treatment time. However, this machine cannot be further upgraded to accommodate the modern IGRT.
Therefore the new VarianTrilogy LINAC will allow the Cancer Center to treat 50 patients per day - double current capacity with IGRT.
- Through the built-in CT imaging, overall procedure time will be reduced. The Trilogy will increase survival rates and will allow us to treat more people in faster times, which is good news for our patients.
- Northridge Hospital will be the first hospital in the San Fernando Valley to have the Varian Trilogy.
- The Leavey Cancer Center will be expanded to accommodate the size and safety requirement for this linear accelerator. It will also be visually enhanced to create a calming environment for the patient during therapy.
