John Stoddard Cancer Center

John Stoddard Cancer Center is Central Iowa’s First Cancer Center.

Many of the milestones in Iowa healthcare history were achieved through the vision and pioneering efforts of the leaders at Iowa Health–Des Moines. It is here that a number of important treatment options and services originated. Iowa’s first children’s cancer center opened at Blank Children’s Hospital in 1987–concentrating all phases of pediatric cancer diagnosis and treatment in one unique area.

Expanding upon that concept in 1991, the John Stoddard Cancer Center opened at Iowa Methodist Medical Center, a significant new milestone. It was the first cancer center in central Iowa to house all radiation oncology and ancillary services in one location. The new facility centralized all outpatient oncology services in one area while conveniently locating them by the inpatient services offered at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. This progressive concept was a result of a long-standing commitment to meet the changing needs of the patients and families of Iowa.

In 1962, Iowa Methodist Medical Center established Iowa’s first hospital-based radiation oncology department. Stoddard began offering intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in 2002, which allows them to precisely shape the radiation beam to maximize treatment of the tumor while minimizing exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue. In 2004, Stoddard began treating patients using stereotactic radiosurgery. Both of these are firsts for healthcare in central Iowa. Today, the John Stoddard Cancer Center remains at the forefront of cancer care in central Iowa. In 2008, they opened the completely renovated Stoddard Adult Oncology Unit, hired three new radiation oncologists, installed a state-of-the-art PET/CT scanner and continued to offer cancer care coordinator services and multidisciplinary team support to cancer patients with the edition of a new colorectal cancer care coordinator and a breast cancer care coordinator.

toddards Mission, Vision and Values

Mission

The John Stoddard Cancer Center will provide compassionate, quality, comprehensive care for our patients and their families.

Vision

The John Stoddard Cancer Center will be the premier cancer center in the Midwest by providing fully integrated programs and services. This will be accomplished through the use of:

-Multi-disciplinary teams consisting of top talent throughout all levels fo the organization

-Proven, leading edge technology and techniques

-Active participation in clinical trials

The result will be an extraordinary patient and family experience.

CORE Values

Compassion–We are committed to serving our community and each other with care.

Openness–We are committed to communicating with others in an effective and honest manner.

Respect–We are committed to treating others with dignity.

Excellence–We are committed to exceeding the expectations of our patients, families and the community.

The Legacy of John D. Stoddard

John Stoddard was an engineer by training and a real estate developer and entrepreneur by profession who amassed a large fortune and gave most of it away. He often said that the reason he worked so hard to make money was to have more to give away.

Before John’s own brief fight with cancer and death in 1998, no member of his family ever had cancer. Still, in 1990, his keen interest in medical care and compassion for others compelled him to support Iowa Methodist Medical Center’s new cancer center with a $4 million gift. In recognition of his generosity, the center was named the John Stoddard Cancer Center.

References

* http://www.johnstoddardcancer.org
* http://www.wellmark.com/news/news_releases/20080327BlueDistinctionsCancer.htm
* http://www.ihsdesmoines.org/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=169&action=detail&ref=299
* http://www.iowabiotech.com/industry/directory/companybyid?companyid=3040
* http://www.iowastarshockey.com/news/index.html?article_id=1321