Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center treats First Patient after New Linear Accelerator is installed

December 21, 2021

After months of planning and long hours of hard work, the new linear accelerator project at Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall recently provided cancer treatment to its first patient on Nov. 16.  This new device is an integral part of the cancer treatment, administering targeted radiation therapy to treat people with cancer at the Fitzgibbon Community Cancer Center.  In all, the project was an investment of more than $2 million, with fundraising efforts still ongoing.

“It means so much to those who receive that very difficult diagnosis of cancer that they can receive treatment right here in Marshall,” said Angy Littrell, President and CEO of Fitzgibbon Hospital.  “When you already don’t feel well, knowing you can conveniently park right in front of the building and walk in, rather than driving many miles to the city, plays a big role in having the energy to fight. We are grateful to those in our community who helped us in the past and for everyone who supports this center by choosing to have their cancer treated right here at home.”

The new linear accelerator speeds up treatment as it administers radiation, but that is not the only important feature.  It is able to track the movement of a tumor as the patient breathes, which is something that is necessary to treat lung as well as certain other cancers that reside in areas of the body where it is impossible to restrict movement. This bring new efficiencies and new capabilities to treat different types of cancer. The state-of-the-art equipment required an extensive demolition of the old unit and buildout of the space to house the new one.

For a full pictorial journey of the project, visit the Fitzgibbon Hospital page on Facebook.com and select the photos section.