New Partnership to Bring Cancer Services to Lewiston

MaineGeneral Partners with St. Mary's Health System to Bring Cancer Services to Lewiston Area Patients

The following is a press release from St. Mary's Health System:

St. Mary's Health System Expands Access to Cancer Care Through Collaboration with MaineGeneral's Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care

LEWISTON, Maine - St. Mary's Health System is expanding access to cancer care in Lewiston through a new collaboration with MaineGeneral's Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, restoring access to medical oncology services at St. Mary's for patients throughout Androscoggin County and surrounding communities.

The collaboration brings together local access to cancer treatment and the expertise of a comprehensive cancer program, helping more patients receive care closer to home.

Oncology services will be available beginning July 7. Patients will establish care through MaineGeneral's Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, with ongoing oncology services, including medical staff visits and infusion treatments, provided at St. Mary's in Lewiston.

St. Mary's will work with patients to help address transportation needs by coordinating available transportation resources when appropriate.

The program will be supported by a multidisciplinary team from MaineGeneral's Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, including Dr. G. Richard Polkinghorn, medical director of oncology, and oncology nurse practitioners Katelyn Isaac, AGACNP-BC, and Krysten Millett, AGACNP-BC.

"One of the concerns we heard most often from our community was the importance of local access to cancer treatment," said Win Brown, FACHE, president of St. Mary's Health System. "Restoring access to medical oncology services at St. Mary's has been an important goal, and this collaboration allows us to do so in partnership with one of Maine's premier cancer programs. We believe this will have a meaningful impact for patients and families throughout our region."

"We're pleased to partner with St. Mary's Health System to strengthen access, quality and continuity of care for cancer patients in Androscoggin County, allowing the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care to support patients close to home while extending its impact across the region," said Debbie Bowden, associate vice president of oncology services at MaineGeneral Medical Center.

The collaboration provides patients with access to a broad range of services through MaineGeneral's Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, including medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, clinical trials, genetic counseling, oncology navigation, social work support, nutritional counseling and survivorship resources.

Referrals are now being accepted. Learn more at stmarysmaine.com/cancer-care

To learn more about the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care, go to https://www.mainegeneral.org/medical-services/cancer-care/