May 7, 2009 – Mayaguez, Puerto Rico…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Bella Vista Hospital in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, inaugurated its new state-of-the-art cancer institute during a special ceremony May 5, 2009. The new $6 million cancer institute will provide advance radiation therapy to cancer patients on the island.
Mayaguez Mayor Jose Guillermo Rodriguez and district Senator Luis D. Muniz joined regional church leaders during the special inauguration event.
“During these difficult economic times on our island, God has blessed us by allowing us to open this beautiful center with a wonderful and experienced staff,” said Jesus Nieves, administrator of Bella Vista Hospital, an Adventist facility.
Nieves explained that the Bella Vista Cancer Institute is the first and only cancer institute on the western part of the island. The 8,600-square-foot facility cost $2.5 million to build and another $3.5 million to furnish with the kind of sophisticated medical equipment needed for its services.
Among the treatments to be offered are Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), a cancer treatment method that delivers high doses of radiation directly to cancer cells, 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D CRT) which uses three-dimensional images to show the location and size of a tumor, and High Dose Radiotherapy, which provides high dosages of radiation to patients with cancer in the lungs, esophagus, or soft tissues, among others. The new equipment includes a Varian Clinac iX Linear Accelerator, a GE Simulator and an Integrated Brachytherapy Unit.
The cancer facility also houses a waiting room, examining room, therapy rooms, medical and administrative offices, and a conference room, among others.
Pastor Israel Leito, president of church in Inter-America, congratulated hospital administrators and staff for the brand-new facility.
“This is the only hospital in our [Inter-American] Division territory that offers this type of treatment and we praise God for that,” said Pastor Leito.
The new center will treat some 40 to 50 patients daily and will be under the direction of Dr. Rudolph Varesko, a graduate of the School of Medicine of Loma Linda University. He accumulated vast experience in the work of cancer during his time at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology.
“With the establishment of the Bella Vista Cancer Institute, we reaffirm once again our commitment to offering the highest standards of health care services, supported by an excellent professional team and the most advanced modern technology,” said Nieves.
Established in 1954 and one of 13 Adventist hospitals in Inter-America, Bella Vista Hospital continues to provide specialized medical services in Puerto Rico. The hospital facility has 157 beds and a medical staff of 200 members. For more information on Bella Vista Hospital and its services, visit www.bvhpr.org.
Freddy Sosa contributed to this report.
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