DR. HANNAH HAZARD-JENKINS

WHEELING – Dr. Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, executive chair and director of the WVU Cancer Institute, looks around the Northern Panhandle and is not only pleased with how the efficacy of cancer treatment has grown in the area, but she’s also very excited about the improvements and enhancements to come.

Hazard-Jenkins, a surgical oncologist by trade, recently stopped in at WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital to discuss the progress the WVU Cancer Institute already has made in the region, as well as what is on the horizon. She said that one of the most important aspects of cancer treatment is understanding the struggles of the patients and their support systems. Those struggles can come from financial burdens, travel issues, ease of access or any of a combination of those problems.

Hazard-Jenkins said the resources available in the Panhandle through both WVU Medicine Wheeling and Reynolds Memorial hospitals offer a greater piece of mind for cancer patients and their families as they work through a trying time.

“It’s particularly gratifying because even though there are facilities within an hour to two from here, that’s still an hour to two both ways,” she said, “and being able to sort of consolidate the work that we’re doing at the two different hospitals allows us to really not only solidify the medical and radiation and oncology aspect of it, but now we’re able to have a place where we can bring other resources together, like cardiology, oncology, physical therapy, fusion services, those kinds of things.

“Having those in one location, so the patient has one place to go for their treatment, for their care and for their survivorship, is really important,” she added.

WVU Medicine also isn’t resting on its laurels when it comes to cancer treatment and patient care. The organization continues to make overall improvements at both WVU Medicine Wheeling and Reynolds Memorial that will enhance the experience for all patients, including those fighting cancer.

Yet the biggest improvement to cancer care in the area is still under construction. Demolition of the former Ohio Valley Medical Center campus continues, as most of the buildings on the land have been knocked down. In their place will be a new WVU Medicine Regional Cancer Center, which Hazard-Jenkins said will be ready to treat its first patients in 2029.

Plans for the center call for a four-story building in the range of 75,000 to 90,000 square feet in downtown Wheeling and just a short walk to Centre Market. Around 150 employees are expected to work there, including cancer doctors, advanced practice providers, nurses, medical assistants, schedulers, dietitians, social workers, and facility professionals. The center should expect about 40,000 patient visits per year.

That cancer center will be a game-changing asset in the fight against cancer in the region, Hazard-Jenkins said. It could attract patients who might be reticent to treatment through its new and cutting-edge offerings. It also is tangible proof that WVU Medicine will continue to evolve and improve.

“It’s an investment in the community,” she said. “It’s an investment in the people. The other part as we build this center, in the meantime, is really building the presence of clinical research. So the data is very clear that if the more people are put onto a clinical trial, the better their overall survivorship is. And so we want to make sure that those trials that are reasonable and appropriate for this community are available here because that gives patients the best chance at the longest survival process.”

The community will have a chance to offer its input on the future of cancer treatment in the Ohio Valley with an upcoming cancer patient panel. The panel, to be held from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday at the WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital auditorium, is open to community members, current and former cancer patients and their families.

The panel, which will included WVU Medicine officials, will be an open-ended discussion of what the new regional cancer center will look like, what features people would like to see and what other improvements can be made in local cancer treatment.

“The panel is incredibly important, getting input from them about what works and what doesn’t work in the current environment and what they want to see moving forward,” Hazard-Jenkins said. “What makes this place even more appealing to come to? What are some of the challenges they face when they come here, or to Reynolds or to other cancer centers that we should be paying attention to, whether it’s traveling down long hallways or not having enough light? What do they want to be able to have done in the new facility that they aren’t getting here or they aren’t getting in a coordinated way?

“And so their input is really important,” she added, “and we take it to heart, and we listen to it, and we try to incorporate it into the building.”

To RSVP to the panel, call WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital Quality Management at 304-243-5342.