Illinois is awarding a 10 million dollar grant to help a cancer treatment center in southern Illinois expand.
A 20-thousand square foot addition is planned for the Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute in Carterville, which first opened in 20-15.
Governor JB Pritzker says the region deserves to get quality care closer to home.
“That means eliminating rural health disparities, expanding preventative care, improving quality of life, providing affordable, accessible treatment for every Illinoisan. SIH Cancer Institute is the embodiment and realization of these goals“ Pritzker said.
Muhammad Papalzai, a hematology and oncology physician at SIH in Carterville, says this expansion will help SIH overcome some of its difficulties like physician shortages.
"Despite the challenges of rapid growth, we have been committed to delivering high quality care to our patients and this has only been possible with the intense collaboration between our medical oncology team, radiation oncologists, surgical specialists, and our amazing staff" Papalzai said.
The money will help pay for more exam rooms, offices, a larger waiting room and more blood transfusion stations. The grant is part of Rebuild Illinois, the state’s 45 billion dollar capital construction program.
One of the patients to receive care from SIH was Lori Fink who was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer.
She says being able to get high quality care in her local area removed some of the obstacles of getting treatment.
"He encouraged me to seek a second opinion at Siteman in St. Louis and I did. Siteman recommended the exact same treatment plan. So, why would I drive two hours each way a week for chemo and everyday for 33 days for radiation when I could receive the same quality care in my own backyard" Fink said.
Fink says not only was the quality of care helpful but she says being treated as more than just another patient aided in her battle with cancer.
"I always felt like a human being, as if you had all the time in the world. I feel seen and heard and that is the sweetest and highest form of medicine" Fink said.
