Charleston Cancer Center opens state-of-the-art facility

Charleston Cancer Center has announced the opening of its new cancer center, offering cutting-edge technology for oncology and hematology patient services.

The new 24,000-square-foot building houses oncology specialists Dr. Charles D. Graham, Dr. William G. Schmidt Jr., Dr. Charles S. Holladay and Dr. Douglas L. Michaelsen.

Located on Tricom Street near Trident Hospital, CCC was modeled after cancer centers across the country. Two years of compiled suggestions from patients, staff and treatment experts throughout the nation contributed to the plan for a healing environment in a state-of-the-art facility.

“There are many unknowns and questions for those undergoing cancer treatment,” says Graham. “Our new building, especially the chemotherapy area, promotes a sense of peace and tranquility to those under our medical care. We have left behind standard of care expectations and created a whole different concept. This new building supplies the perfect infrastructure for us to continue providing the compassionate care on which we have always focused.”
Designed to help the patients relax, large windows bring the outdoors into the center by focusing on landscaping that includes an outdoor pond and a fountain flowing around the building circumference. Enlarged spaces, oversized halls and rooms, high ceilings and subdued earth tones all contribute to the relaxed setting.

“It is our continuing goal to provide highly advanced treatment in a soothing atmosphere,” says Schmidt. “With that in mind, we have created a welcoming place that allows easy access to an advanced level of care.”

Staff considerations were also given high priority when designing the Charleston Cancer Center. “We put together a team to design and develop one of the finest medical facilities in the Southeast,” says Phillip Woollcott, principal of the PrimeSouth Group. “In addition to physicians and specialists throughout the country, we added architects and contractors with medical facility experience. From the start, we focused not only on patient needs, but staff needs as well.”
To further enhance the center’s facilities, CCC administers to all aspects of illness by offering now or in the near future peripheral services including:

– Nationally acclaimed clinical trials

– Cutting-edge/experimental treatments where appropriate

– On site complementary medicine including nutrition, massage therapy and acupuncture

– Specialty radiologists

– Oncology boutique

– Healing pond/garden

– The Johnsten-King Memorial Cancer Trust

The Johnsten-King Memorial Cancer Trust provides inpatient care and outpatient pharmaceuticals for indigent cancer patients. Named for Graham’s and Schmidt’s mothers, who passed away from cancer, this is the first foundation of its kind in the country to subsidize cancer treatments for indigent patients.