Mercy Health announced today that construction is now underway to create an integrated breast center at the Mercy Health – Springfield Cancer Center with the goal of providing custom, coordinated care consultation to patients.
“For years, we’ve supported women through their treatment journey but what we’ve learned is the journey can be very complicated and yet the process doesn’t have to be. So, this new space will be designed to wrap the care team around the patient. She’ll have one appointment where specialists come to her, eliminating the need for multiple trips on multiple days for individual appointments,” said Pilar Mock, Director of Oncology for Mercy Health - Springfield.
The new breast center aims to foster support for the many women who find themselves facing this diagnosis. In fact, it’s named after Springfield native Karen Teusink, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 at the age of 44. After completing chemotherapy, she lived cancer free for 25 years before facing a new diagnosis in 2018. This time her breast cancer was a more aggressive cancer known as triple negative breast cancer. Without a comprehensive breast center, she and her family were forced to travel to various places for multiple visits.
Karen succumbed to the cancer in February 2020, but her family’s desire to help others facing a similar battle will soon become part of her legacy that touches the lives of women in our community for years to come. Opening in early 2024, the Karen Teusink Integrated Breast Center will accommodate the patient and her loved ones along with her care team – which could include the surgeon, radiation and medical oncologists, genetics counselor, and breast navigator – in a homelike setting.
In addition, state-of-the art technology will be in place should a member of the team need to join the group remotely. Family members and loved ones will be able to converse with the specialty providers, ask questions, seek clarification, and be intimately involved in the patient’s condition and treatment.
“I know Karen would be very happy to know there will be this wonderful facility available for breast cancer patients here in Springfield, and my family and I are so very appreciative of this opportunity to honor her memory,” said Karen’s husband, Phil Teusink. “Even when she was in the midst of her treatment journey, she was always more than willing to talk with, comfort, and support others who were newly diagnosed with cancer. I know she’s pleased to know there will be a place where patients and their loved ones can gather in a comfortable, soothing setting while meeting all at once with everyone on the care team, to have their questions answered, and together, map out the treatment journey.”
Funding for the $80,000 project was provided through philanthropic support via the Mercy Health Foundation of Clark & Champaign Counties. Additional funds are also being raised to support the needs of patients who are seen in the center.
“Innovative and holistic care is part of the Mercy Health culture and mission, and we are committed to supporting programs and facilities that promote that type of healing for our
community,” said Kristy Kohl McCready, President of Mercy Health Foundation Clark & Champaign Counties. “We are just so grateful for the generosity of others as it’s that ongoing support that allows us to continue funding worthwhile projects like this one, that result in first-class care for patients across Clark and Champaign Counties.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. The latest breast cancer incident rate for women in Clark County is 146.9 per 100,000 (from 2014-2018) and for Champaign County 130 per 100,000 (from 2014-2018) – both of which are higher than the incident rate for the state of Ohio during this same time period (129.6).
With such high cancer rates, expanding treatment options and programs in the local community is critical for patients, so Mercy Health – Springfield announced a new affiliation with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Care Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute’s The James Cancer Network (OSUCCC – James) in 2022. This partnership enhanced cancer care services for patients throughout Clark and Champaign counties by providing Mercy Health – Springfield physicians and patients with access to the expertise and specialists at the OSUCCC – James, as an affiliate of The James Cancer Network.
To learn more, call 937-323-5001
“For years, we’ve supported women through their treatment journey but what we’ve learned is the journey can be very complicated and yet the process doesn’t have to be. So, this new space will be designed to wrap the care team around the patient. She’ll have one appointment where specialists come to her, eliminating the need for multiple trips on multiple days for individual appointments,” said Pilar Mock, Director of Oncology for Mercy Health - Springfield.
The new breast center aims to foster support for the many women who find themselves facing this diagnosis. In fact, it’s named after Springfield native Karen Teusink, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 at the age of 44. After completing chemotherapy, she lived cancer free for 25 years before facing a new diagnosis in 2018. This time her breast cancer was a more aggressive cancer known as triple negative breast cancer. Without a comprehensive breast center, she and her family were forced to travel to various places for multiple visits.
Karen succumbed to the cancer in February 2020, but her family’s desire to help others facing a similar battle will soon become part of her legacy that touches the lives of women in our community for years to come. Opening in early 2024, the Karen Teusink Integrated Breast Center will accommodate the patient and her loved ones along with her care team – which could include the surgeon, radiation and medical oncologists, genetics counselor, and breast navigator – in a homelike setting.
In addition, state-of-the art technology will be in place should a member of the team need to join the group remotely. Family members and loved ones will be able to converse with the specialty providers, ask questions, seek clarification, and be intimately involved in the patient’s condition and treatment.
“I know Karen would be very happy to know there will be this wonderful facility available for breast cancer patients here in Springfield, and my family and I are so very appreciative of this opportunity to honor her memory,” said Karen’s husband, Phil Teusink. “Even when she was in the midst of her treatment journey, she was always more than willing to talk with, comfort, and support others who were newly diagnosed with cancer. I know she’s pleased to know there will be a place where patients and their loved ones can gather in a comfortable, soothing setting while meeting all at once with everyone on the care team, to have their questions answered, and together, map out the treatment journey.”
Funding for the $80,000 project was provided through philanthropic support via the Mercy Health Foundation of Clark & Champaign Counties. Additional funds are also being raised to support the needs of patients who are seen in the center.
“Innovative and holistic care is part of the Mercy Health culture and mission, and we are committed to supporting programs and facilities that promote that type of healing for our
community,” said Kristy Kohl McCready, President of Mercy Health Foundation Clark & Champaign Counties. “We are just so grateful for the generosity of others as it’s that ongoing support that allows us to continue funding worthwhile projects like this one, that result in first-class care for patients across Clark and Champaign Counties.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. The latest breast cancer incident rate for women in Clark County is 146.9 per 100,000 (from 2014-2018) and for Champaign County 130 per 100,000 (from 2014-2018) – both of which are higher than the incident rate for the state of Ohio during this same time period (129.6).
With such high cancer rates, expanding treatment options and programs in the local community is critical for patients, so Mercy Health – Springfield announced a new affiliation with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Care Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute’s The James Cancer Network (OSUCCC – James) in 2022. This partnership enhanced cancer care services for patients throughout Clark and Champaign counties by providing Mercy Health – Springfield physicians and patients with access to the expertise and specialists at the OSUCCC – James, as an affiliate of The James Cancer Network.
To learn more, call 937-323-5001