The first – and possibly the most difficult – step to discovering cancer is diagnosis. With that in mind, President and CEO of Convacare Management, Inc., Joey Wiggins and his wife Leslie chose to contribute to the Cancer Center of Excellence by naming the Diagnostic Center in honor of his mother.
Convacare joined the White County Medical Foundation’s Legacy Circle with their generous gift to name the Ann Wiggins Diagnostic Center. The Wiggins chose to name the Diagnostic Area because early diagnosis and treatment is a critical step in the battle against cancer.
“The [Ann Wiggins] Diagnostic Center is an integral part of the process when you or a loved one has cancer,” Joey said. “It is a difficult step, because it is often the first experience many people have in their own journey with cancer.”
“My personal experience with the disease came as a result of losing my mother to breast cancer,” he said. “She fought a tough fight for more than 16 years; there were many ups and downs in her battle with cancer. Through her strong will, faith and determination, she continued to fight and was filled with new hope each day. Thankfully, she received great medical care and had a good quality of life until it took her in 2002.”
“For us, giving to the Cancer Center was the right thing to do,” Joey said. “It is important to lead with your heart, and it has been on mine to honor my mother’s life in a special way. There is a great deal of personal contentment and satisfaction in the giving of yourself to benefit others. Whether it is through a kind word, monetary contribution or volunteerism, it matters; donations on any level help make our community stronger. I encourage people to find their own way to give. We’re all in this together.”
In addition to supporting the Cancer Center of Excellence, Convacare regularly supports Race for the Cure and other activities to help cancer research and patients.
“We are so thankful for Joey and Leslie and the support that they’ve shown to our community with this gift to the Cancer Center,” said Cassandra Feltrop, Executive Director of the White County Medical Foundation. “It has been an honor to work with them; this is a wonderful tribute gift in memory of Joey’s mother.”
The Cancer Center of Excellence was built through a partnership between White County Medical Center, CARTI, White County Oncology and RAPA/Searcy Breast Center. Located at 415 Rodgers Dr. in Searcy, the Cancer Center encompasses a chemotherapy treatment center, radiation therapy, the Searcy Breast Center, a Diagnostic Center with PET Scanner, appearance center, chapel, conference/education room and counseling center. Through this venture, these healthcare partners have ensured residents have an outstanding facility close to home to receive excellent, screenings, detection and cancer care.
The most advanced technology each healthcare partner has to offer converges in the new Cancer Center, which leads to providing a comprehensive approach to cancer diagnosis and treatment. Imaging services in the Cancer Center include the latest in digital mammography, located in the Searcy Breast Center. Also, CARTI features the most advanced Linear Accelerator in the country, which is the first to be installed in Arkansas.
Another important piece of new equipment in the Cancer Center is a new PET scanner, which is vital in diagnosing cancer. Physicians previously relied on a mobile PET scanner that visited Searcy only once a week, which meant a limited number of patients could be scheduled in one day. The permanent PET scanner allows greater flexibility in scheduling appointments and will allow for many more patients to be seen during the week.
If your business wishes to join Convacare Management, Inc., by becoming a Cornerstone Partners member and investing in the Cancer Center of Excellence, please contact the White County Medical Foundation at (501) 278-3191 or via e-mail at foundation@wcmc.org.
