Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center finished off the year on a high note with a generous gift made by Steven Dwoskin to support a new cutting-edge radiation facility, which will be known as The Dwoskin Proton Therapy Center.
Mr. Dwoskin has a long partnership with the Cancer Center, having first been introduced 20 years ago by his good friend, Jay Weiss, a prominent philanthropist who left behind an incredible legacy and an indelible mark on Sylvester.
“When I started a foundation in 2002, Jay asked me to come and see the operation and meet some of the doctors,” said Dwoskin. “When I originally started, it was mainly in honor of my father and brother, who both died of cancer. But then, I got to know the people at Sylvester. They have always been there for me and my family. That means so much and I want to be loyal to them.”
Slated to begin treating patients in fall 2020, the new Proton Therapy Center at UHealth Tower houses Sylvester’s Varian ProBeam Compact proton therapy system, the most advanced cancer-fighting technology available to patients.
Proton therapy is an advanced type of radiation that allows doctors to directly target tumors with extreme precision, destroying deadly cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissues and organs. The machine’s sub-millimeter precision allows the proton beam to enter the body with a low radiation dose, conforming to the shape and depth of the tumor. As a result, patients may experience fewer side effects during and after treatment.
“The unique properties of protons will allow us to design novel approaches to treating cancer that build on the expertise of our physicians in conjunction with our exceptional medical physicists and biologists,” said Alan Pollack, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of radiation oncology. “Proton therapy is another important option in our armamentarium of sophisticated tools with which to fight cancer at Sylvester.”
In addition to patient treatment, Sylvester will also use proton therapy for clinical research to find new ways to conquer and prevent cancer. Dwoskin is pleased to be at the forefront of this exciting time in cancer treat- ment at Sylvester because he is confident that many more lives will be saved.
“I think proton therapy is going to cure a lot of cancers right now that simply can’t be cured,” said Dwoskin. “The name of the building is a nice legacy, but really the recognition is not that important to me. Seeing somebody alive because they received the right treatment: that’s really special.”
“Putting this precise technology in the hands of our radiation oncology experts demonstrates our commitment to transforming the way we treat each patient’s unique cancer,” said Sylvester Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D. “We are grateful for friends like Steven, who are the enablers of our mission to find new cancer cures.”