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Altus Cancer Center A Result Of Tenacity
The Lawton Consitution

PublishedL july 12, 2006

BY SCOTT RAINS
STAFF WRITER 
 
ALTUS — The earth moved for the third time Tuesday afternoon in regard to an ambitious project for the cancer care needs for Southwest Oklahoma and north Texas patients.

Under a blue and white tent near the entrance of Jackson County Memorial Hospital, members of the hospital staff and administration, volunteers, military, benefactors and beneficiaries met to turn over some dirt, officially beginning construction of the Southwest Oklahoma Cancer Center in Altus.

“This project hasn’t had an easy life, “ Bill Wilson, chief executive officer of Jackson County Memorial Hospital, said. The idea of multiple nonprofit hospitals working together toward creation of the Southwest Oklahoma Cancer Centers has taken eight years to come to fruition, but this collaboration is going to benefit the patients, he said.

Dr. Mittie Dragosljvich, medical director for the radiology department at Comanche County Memorial Hospital, said Jackson County will bring new radiation treatments to southwest Oklahoma and north Texas patients. Once the center is opera- tional, patients will only have to go to the central location in Lawton a fraction of the time and will be able to follow through on treatment “closer to their homes,” he said.

The facility is going to offer state of the art equipment and treatment, Bonnie McAskill, director of public relations for Jackson County Memorial Hospital, said.

The center’s construction should take 12 months, “hopefully less,” she said.

“This is a proud moment,” Dr. Dale Shelton, chairman of the Jackson County Memorial Hospital board of trustees, said. “The cancer center is an achievement in helping ease patient’s lives and burdens.”

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