[English Ivy]

That was a most interesting full page ad on page A14 of today's Daily Sun taken out by the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute entitled "Clarifying Misleading Information".

Although I'm sure it will never happen, wouldn't it be fascinating if their offer to discuss and debate the issues they have raised was accepted by the Central Florida Health Alliance (CFHA).

Here is their offer:

"I would be most happy to discuss in an open forum with the administration of the CFHA-before residents of The Villages-the issues raised above. I await the invitation."

Here's a link to their website with some additional info and an invitation to tour their facilities this Saturday, Dec 4, to see all the equipment they already have in place which Villagers are being asked to pay for at the new Moffitt Center.

http://www.rboi.com/event-tvoh2010.html

[daywoo]

I have first hand knowledge that the 2.4 million dollar IMRT LINEAR ACCELERATOR is indeed in the Villages at the Robert Boissonneault Oncology Institute. I have been receiving treatments from this facility since 2001. Several months ago I became the first Stage IV Lung cancer patient to be treated with the IMRT at this facility in the Villages. Although, it has been in use for other types of cancer in The Villages. I contacted the Daily Sun and invited them to be present for my treatment. Hopeing other Villagers would benefit from the information they could provide. However, they choose not to be present, and not to respond to my calls. I hold no animosity toward the Moffitt Center....I went there in 2001 for a second opinion. The Oncologist there prescribed the same treatment that had been suggested to me in the Villages. Chemo, was administered at the Sharon Morse Center and Radiation at the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute. My question is....why do they feel they have to mislead The Villagers to obtain funding for the Moffitt Center? Villagers have always been generous...just give them the true facts. Oh yea, after 9 years of treatment in The Villages, I'm happy to say I'm still playing 18... making happy hour and working 3 days a week.

[Russ_Boston]

Nice to know that we will now have 2 facilities that can offer hope and treatment to sufferers of these dreaded diseases!

Best of luck to you daywoo.

[Xavier]

Originally Posted by daywoo

I have first hand knowledge that the 2.4 million dollar IMRT LINEAR ACCELERATOR is indeed in the Villages at the Robert Boissonneault Oncology Institute. I have been receiving treatments from this facility since 2001. Several months ago I became the first Stage IV Lung cancer patient to be treated with the IMRT at this facility in the Villages. Although, it has been in use for other types of cancer in The Villages. I contacted the Daily Sun and invited them to be present for my treatment. Hopeing other Villagers would benefit from the information they could provide. However, they choose not to be present, and not to respond to my calls. I hold no animosity toward the Moffitt Center....I went there in 2001 for a second opinion. The Oncologist there prescribed the same treatment that had been suggested to me in the Villages. Chemo, was administered at the Sharon Morse Center and Radiation at the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute. My question is....why do they feel they have to mislead The Villagers to obtain funding for the Moffitt Center? Villagers have always been generous...just give them the true facts. Oh yea, after 9 years of treatment in The Villages, I'm happy to say I'm still playing 18... making happy hour and working 3 days a week.

Congratulations on being cancer free and welcome as a first time poster on Talk of the Villages.

I found the a listing of the top 50 Cancer Centers in the nation. It lists Moffitt at number 10. We are so fortunate to have highly rated Centers (Shands in Gainesville and Moffitt in Tampa) within a little over an hour's drive. To have one of them moving to our back yard is a real plus for all of us.

http://www.robertsreview.com/cancer_centers_top_50.html

[2BNTV]

daywoo to TOTV. I hope you will keep on posting.

Best of Luck with your health issues.

[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by daywoo

My question is....why do they feel they have to mislead The Villagers to obtain funding for the Moffitt Center? Villagers have always been generous...just give them the true facts.

If the Villagers are funding this center does it mean that a Village ID is required to gain entrance to it?



.

[graciegirl]

Your post made me happy, Daywoo. Glad to hear of your good progress.

An oncologist can send you to the radiation oncologist of his choice. There is more than equipment involved in treating cancer with radiation.

Careful markings and careful assessments of a patients body is part of the treatment. A patient may have a slight curvature of the spine or other form of scoliosis and their body must be carefully replaced each time to receive the radiation EXACTLY the way she did yesterday. A slight mistake in this can burn the lung tissue that it was not meant to radiate, if perhaps that person was being treated for breast cancer.

I am not surprised that the Moffitt Center wants their own equipment and radiation oncologists, that is just how it works in the full service cancer centers.

This advertising by Boissonault falls outside what a medical center usually does in my opinion. In fact I haven't ever seen it done. It really looks to me like free enterprise at it's worst.

Yes, there will be two. Yes, they won't get all of the business like they did before.

They have four other locations in central Florida if I remember correctly.

I think they are doing more harm than good to their image, at least they are in my eyes.

Just my very humble opinion.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

If the Villagers are funding this center does it mean that a Village ID is required to gain entrance to it?.

Funding is coming for people who live outside of TV as well. And to my knowledge, regardless of source and location, it is all volunteer.

But I assume that your post was tongue firmly implanted in check?

[RVRoadie]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

Nice to know that we will now have 2 facilities that can offer hope and treatment to sufferers of these dreaded diseases!

Best of luck to you daywoo.

There is actually a third radiation facility going in to treat prostate cancer, over near Wal-Mart on 466. It is likely that there will be significant overcapacity for radiation treatment. While that may be good for patients in the short term, if Robert Boissonneault Oncology Institute ends up leaving The Villages, we will be worse off for it. I believe they treat more forms of cancer that either of the other facilities which would mean no local treatment for those forms of cancer.

[redwitch]

Russ, I'd guess that the tongue was so firmly planted that it probably jabbed a large hole in chuck's cheek.

What I'm wondering is if funding doesn't occur within the two-year time frame, what happens? It really does feel like there's a lot of desperation to get that funding.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by redwitch

What I'm wondering is if funding doesn't occur within the two-year time frame, what happens? It really does feel like there's a lot of desperation to get that funding.

I'm a big fan of Adam Smith's philosophy, it never seems to fail:

If there is a demand - supply will follow.

[Larry Wilson]

Really good article about the Support Equipment For New Cancer Center starting on pg 7 of The Property Owners' Association bulletin.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by Larry Wilson

Really good article about the Support Equipment For New Cancer Center starting on pg 7 of The Property Owners' Association bulletin.

Basically just the ad from Boissonneault facility. No new info.

But I'm glad that next month they will have a Pete Wahl interview for counterpoint.

More info never hurts.

[Number 6]

Health care usually works under Romer's Law ("a bed built is a bed filled is a bed billed"). This predicts that demand will follow supply. I am pretty sure Adam Smith never saw that.
The question that is still out there is, "Why does the center require the equipment be donated?"

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Number 6

Health care usually works under Romer's Law ("a bed built is a bed filled is a bed billed"). This predicts that demand will follow supply. I am pretty sure Adam Smith never saw that.
The question that is still out there is, "Why does the center require the equipment be donated?"

That is a very good question.