FRAMINGHAM – Please do not allow Tenet to close the medical oncology and radiation department at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham.
As a former breast cancer patient, I can personally attest as to how important it was to me to have readily accessible cancer care in my community, close to my home.
I cannot imagine enduring a six-week radiation protocol and a 45- to 60-minute commute each way five days a week for six weeks. It virtually impossible to manage this protocol via public transportation and unnecessarily expensive by taxi or Uber.
In MetroWest, we have a public transportation system that helps patients regularly access the hospital for many reasons.
Having quality cancer care in this area is vital to Framingham and surrounding communities.
[broadstreet zone=”59945″]
I know I am one of the truly fortunate cancer patients and I am faithful about my annual follow-up care. And those less fortunate than me need our Cancer Center even more – to manage to frequent and long term monitoring and treatment; prompt and proper attention to relapses; the provision of additional supports to patients and families.
It is because of the advancements that have been made in cancer diagnosis and treatment that more and more patients are being diagnosed earlier, and with treatment are being “cured”.
My breast cancer was diagnosed here, at the MetroWest Medical Center with only TWELVE cells!
[broadstreet zone=”59948″]
I may not absolutely know for quite some time that I was cured but I can attest to the efficacy of an early diagnosis, prompt surgery and radiation.
The MetroWest Cancer Center is a valuable community resource – valuable to its patients and their families; valuable to the community at large because the quality of medical care that is easy to access and readily available is important to people who are considering moving to our area.
It does not sense to shut it down.
With respect,
Deborah Needleman
Framingham
[broadstreet zone=”58610″]