Page 74 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2019

HEALTHY LIVING local access
Memorial Cancer Center, located on Broad Avenue in Gulfport, provides high-quality, compassionate care.
CUTTING-EDGE CANCER CARE IN THE HEART OF THE COAST
Memorial Cancer Center offers state-of-the-art treatment and so much more
Acancer diagnosis can be one of the most terrifying, life-altering experiences
a person can face. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, about 14,800 Mississippians a year will be diagnosed with invasive cancer. Those patients will have many questions regarding their cancer diagnosis and treatment options.
Coast patients can access state-of-the-art, high-quality care right in their own back yards. Memorial Cancer Center was officially named in 2002; however, Memorial Hospital has been treating cancer patients since the 1970s. Memorial Cancer Center has been accredited by the Commission on Cancer since 1995 and is evaluated every three years. To obtain and maintain accreditation, a cancer program must demonstrate a commitment to providing high-quality, multidisciplinary, patient-centered care.
With five medical oncologists and two radiation oncologists, supported by numerous physician assistants and nurse practitioners, Memorial Cancer Center providers are passionate about treating patients with all types of cancer.
Dr. Maya Mathew, radiation oncologist and recent addition to the Cancer Center, appreciates what the spirit of teamwork brings to patient care.
“I have a great team here in radiation oncology,” Mathew says. “They are willing to do anything I ask when it comes to patient care. We don’t cut around corners with patient care.”
Kenneth Yeomans, a retired business owner living in Pass Christian, found himself in need of that commitment to patient care. Yeomans was diagnosed with stomach cancer in February 2014 after a period of unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite
and discomfort while eating.
He was initially diagnosed with
gallbladder issues; however,
during a CT scan, his physician
discovered tumors in his stomach.
Yeomans initially sought
treatment at a hospital in Hammond, La., and later at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. However, traveling after chemotherapy treatments was too taxing on Yeomans and his loved ones. He checked out Memorial Hospital
at Gulfport’s website and made an appointment with a Cancer Center provider. They hit it off and he started receiving his treatments at Memorial Cancer Center.
Dr. Maya Mathew Radiation Oncologist
74 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • February 2019
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