Greetings from the Johnston Memorial Cancer Center. Things have been hectic here at the center but, I wanted to catch everyone up on what is happening. Many exciting things have been happening, from treating our 100th radiation patient to fighting a flood in our Front Lobby, more on that later.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and was able to spend lots of time with their families and friends. Two of my sons celebrated the holidays in Iraq and I know they would both tell everyone how important it is to take advantage of every opportunity to celebrate life.

I want to thank everyone for their cards, their gifts, and of course all of the cakes, candies, and cookies that we feasted on during the holidays. Although a few pounds heavier, our taste buds have never been happier.

I would like to take this time to say goodbye to Stephanie Cook, our RN, who left us to pursue another chapter in her career. She helped us to open our center and provide the best care possible from day one. She will be missed by the staff and patients alike. Kim McGaffey will be taking her place. More details on her in my next blog.

Great news, Blue Ridge Medical Specialists, which consists of Dr. Ben Cowan, Dr. Sue Prill, Dr. Suzanne Patton, Dr. Al Weir, and Dr. Al Blow have signed a contract with the hospital to provide Medical Oncology at our Cancer Center. The group saw their first patient on March 17. Our first chemotherapy patient was seen shortly after that on April 1. Plans to finish the rest of the building are underway, medical oncology suites and the second floor. Completion is expected sometime in the Fall of this year. We are hopeful that Cancer Outreach Associates will also be relocating their practice here soon.

As many of you know at the same time that we complete our building, we will be breaking ground on the new hospital which will be located beside the Cancer Center. We are very excited about our new neighbors.

We have added new staff in the Medical Oncology Department at the center: Arlinda Arnold, Receptionist, Lori Haga, Receptionist, Tara Fite, Medical Assistant, Pamela Patterson, Nurse, and J.D. Henegar, Housekeeping. We will have pictures and info on them in my next blog. Welcome aboard.

I want to send special thanks out to the 2nd Grade students of Watauga Elementary. Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts this year, they pooled their money together and made gift bags for all of our cancer patients. Our patients were deeply touched by their kindness and generosity, a valuable lesson for all of us.






I would like to thank Carl and Connie Street from the Chosen Believers Pentecostal Fellowship Church for the time, effort, and money they have spent on providing the cancer patients at our facility with baskets filled with goodies and prayers, a true gift from the heart. The church is located at 26177 Lee Highway. Pastor Lonnie Keen holds services on Wed at 7:00 p.m., Sunday School at 10:00 am / Services at 6:00 p.m. Singings are held the 2nd Sat night of every month at 7:00 p.m. The church also delivers meals to the elderly in the community. Many thanks again from our cancer patients.


We would also like to thank the members of the Rosedale Baptist Church that come by once a month to feed the staff at the Cancer Center. I do not know if I can afford to eat so much good food. It is truly appreciated.


The cold weather that we have had recently reminded us how important it is to be prepared. One of our fire sprinkler pipes burst resulting in a flood in our main lobby. Luckily, our dedicated team here at the cancer center banded together and quickly took control of the situation and saved the building from disaster.

Congratulations to Donna Delp, our receptionist, who was recently named one of the JMH Star Performers for the quarter. She is one of the many the reasons that our patients feel welcome when they come to our Cancer Center.

I would also like to take this time to thank a special group of special people here at the Cancer Center, our volunteers. They man the reception desk five days a week providing support to our staff and to our patients. Their efforts are greatly appreciated. Ron and Nancy Domst are two of our volunteers that help staff the center.

The Cancer Center now has a Breast Cancer Support Group that meets in the building the second Thursday of every month from 2-4 p.m. For details or more information, please call Luedell Bailey at (276) 628-1601.

We have also moved the ACS “Look Good Feel Better” Program that was located at the hospital to the Cancer Center. It is held on the fourth Saturday of every month and is led by Debbie Woods. She can be contacted at (276) 628-8861.

I will be getting a knee replacement on April 28 and be out for 3-5 weeks. Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers. I will update you after my surgery.

Normal hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Medical Oncology numbers are (276) 739-2235. Fax number is (276) 619-2497. Radiation Oncology numbers are (276) 739-CARE (2273) or (276) 739-2222 for Radiation Oncology. Fax number is (276) 628-1523. Entrance to Medical Oncology is located in the front of the building. The Radiation Oncology Entrance is located at the rear of the building. You can take either exit 19 or exit 22 to reach us. We are located about 100 yards from the DMV.

Greetings from the Johnston Memorial Cancer Center. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. Our Radiation Oncology Department continues to grow in volume. We are currently treating 15-18 patients daily. Our CT and Radiology Departments are open and provide a new way for JMH patients to experience quality care and an easy way to get your exams done with little or no waiting time.

Construction has been completed in the building except for the 2nd floor and the Medical Oncology space. Work is underway to complete these sections with our Grand Opening scheduled sometime after the first of the year.

Our building has been used for several hospital and community functions recently, giving us the opportunity to show off the facility to the public. We hosted a JMH Staff Night to educate our staff on what the building had to offer. A JMH New Physician Meet and Greet function also took place at the Cancer Center where we gave a multitude of tours. Ladies Night Out, a Breast Cancer Awareness program, was held at the Cancer Center on 9 October in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. It was a wonderful event. Over 500 people attended. Parking was tricky, but everyone had a great time. I have heard a lot of positive feedback from our patients, our staff, and the community on the building. It is indeed something that Abingdon can be proud of.

I hope everyone has noticed our new billboards and enjoyed our new commercials featuring our Radiation Oncology Staff. We want everyone in the region to know what we have to offer here in Abingdon.

You may have seen the news that U.S. Representative Rick Boucher announced that at his request, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through its Rural Utilities Service, is providing a federal grant in the amount of $182,968 to establish four new telemedicine sites in Southwest Virginia. The new telemedicine sites will be linked electronically to the University of Virginia's hospital in Charlottesville and other specialized medical centers, in order to serve patients in Lee, Grayson, Wise, Washington, Dickenson, Russell, Smyth, Scott and Buchanan Counties. JMH and the Cancer Center are two of the sites that will be part of this service. We are excited to be part of this exciting new technology to better serve our patients.

Our normal hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our phone numbers are (276) 739-CARE (2273) or (276) 739-2222. Our fax number is (276) 628-1523. The entrance to the department is located at the rear of the building. Just follow the signs to Radiation Oncology upon arrival at the site. You can take either exit 19 or exit 22 to reach us. We are located about 100 yards from the DMV.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.

Things have been hectic here at the Cancer Center. I am proud to announce that the Radiation Oncology Department at the Cancer Center is now officially open. We have been open since April 2 and are now actively treating patients. Our hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Our phone numbers are (276) 739-CARE (2273) or (276) 739-2222. Our fax number is (276) 628-1523.

The entrance to the department is located at the rear of the building. Temporary signs will lead you to the door upon arrival at the site. You can take either exit 19 or exit 22 to reach us. We are located about 100 yards from the DMV. We hope to have the front of the building open for business in August. Plans are still in progress for the rest of the building, which will open towards the end of the year.

We have a great staff here at the Cancer Center. All are well qualified and are excited about the opportunity to work at the Cancer Center. Here's a litte insight in to each employee.

Beverly Martin, Tumor Registrar: Beverly Martin is a native of Chilhowie, VA, and has been an employee at JMH since 1984. She began her career in Health Information as a Medical Transcriptionist. Ms. Martin entered the JMH Cancer Registry in 1993. Beverly and her husband, David, live on a farm near Chilhowie. Beverly enjoys gardening, boating and the peacefulness of country living. David and Beverly have one daughter, Diane, and in October, will welcome a son-in-law into their family. Over the past 20 years, the Cancer Program at JMH has grown and soon, the newest technology will be available for our patients. Beverly is very excited about the opening of the JMH Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Stephanie Cook, Registered Nurse: Stephanie has been a nurse for 26 years. She came to work at JMH in January 1993 and has worked in many areas throughout the hospital. She will receive her BSN at King College in May of this year. Stephanie and her husband, Richard, live in Blountville, TN. She has two daughters, Pam and Carrice, who live in Radford, VA. Stephanie enjoys kayaking and running. She is excited about joining the Radiation Oncology Team.

Hope Cannon, Business Office Clerk: Hope enjoys reading, walking, swimming,and anything she can do outdoors. She has recently married a wonderful man and has two children, one girl 12 and one boy 7. She attends the Door of Hope Fellowship and loves being a part of that family and joining her new family here at JMH.

Donna Delp, Receptionist: Donna hopes to be a positive influence to all of our patients. She is a two year cancer survivor. She lives in Abingdon with her mother and sister. She enjoys hiking, biking, and jogging.

Tara McCowan, Radiation Therapist/X-Ray Technologist: Tara has worked at JMH since 2004. She received her Associates Degree in Radiology from Virginia Highlands Community College and a certificate in Radiation Therapy from Chattanooga State Technical Community College. She recently got married and has two children, one boy age nine and a girl age six. She enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Sonji Heltzel, Radiation Therapist: Sonji received her Associate Degree from Southwest Virginia Community College. She received her certificate in Radiation Therapy from Virginia Western Community College. She enjoys spending time with her family and shopping for antiques.

Johnny Smith, Housekeeping and Maintenance: Johnny comes to us from the main hospital where he worked in the Operating Room. He will be making sure that things are spotless and in top running shape for our cancer patients. His son will be graduating from the new Pharmacy School in Grundy in the very near future and he is very proud of his accomplishment.

Omar Parker, Medical Physicist: Omar is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, but called North Carolina home after living there for nine years before relocating to Abingdon. He went to North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC for his undergrad and then East Carolina University in Greenville, NC for graduate school. He feels very fortunate to have found his position here at JMH in a very rewarding field.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.

As you can see, the linear accelerator has been installed but is now going through a lengthy testing phase that will help ensure that we are giving the proper dose of radiation to meet each patients needs. If all goes well, we will be able to provide radiation therapy to our first patient on April 25th. It will be a great day for Johnston Memorial Hospital, Abingdon, and surrounding communities. The rest of Phase One which includes CT, Diagnostic Radiology, and Ultrasound is also nearing completion. The Radiation Oncology Department is currently open and is ready to see patients for consultation. You can reach the department by calling (276) 739-CARE(2273) or (276) 739-2222. This has been a monumental undertaking and has required the hard work and attention of many people, but it will be well worth it. It has been exciting to witness the day to day changes that have taken place over the last year.

We have hired our Medical Dosimetrist and Chief Therapist who has been onboard and a great help since Feb 5th. Terry Smith was born and raised just down the interstate in Bristol. She attended Virginia Highlands Community College before going on to the University of Virginia for Radiation Oncology School. She came here from Charlottesville, VA where she worked at the Martha Jefferson Hospital as a Medical Dosimetrist. She brings with her a broad base of knowledge that will help make our department very successful.


Our first Radiation Therapist has been here since March 19th. Crystal Breeding came to us from Bristol Regional Medical Center where she worked as a therapist. Crystal is also a local girl who will brighten the Cancer Center with her big smile and positive attitude.

Hope Cannon and Donna Delp will be joining us as Business Office Representative and Receptionist respectively. Both will be great additions to the Cancer Center. More to come on them upon their arrival.

For the five positions that we had to fill for the Cancer Center, we had over 100 applicants. It was not surprising the number of talented people we have here locally and it made the decision of picking someone very difficult.

As we get nearer to the opening of the Radiation Oncology Department, it makes me very proud to know that I have been a part of this historic occasion. I know you will be very proud of this Cancer Center and I will be even more honored to treat the cancer patients of Southwest Virginia.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.

There has been lots of exciting progress regarding the cancer center since my last blog. Construction continues to move at a fast clip out at the site. Inside walls are going up along with ceilings, and brick walls. The linear accelerator has finally arrived and is in the process of being installed.

I wanted to share a story about three 5th grade classes at High Point Elementary who donated $318.00 for the Food Cart in the Hospice Room here at the hospital. It was donated in honor of one of the teacher’s family members who passed away in our hospice room. It warms my heart to see children learn about what really matters in life, caring for others who are in need. These are the kinds of stories that our community needs to hear. I would love to hear any other stories out in the community that would go to show the kind of people we have in our community. Although I often talk about the physical cancer center building and the equipment going inside of it, the heart of the center will be the people who work there who, like the 5th grade class, understand the importance of caring for those in need and feel called to do so. The cornerstone of the facility will be compassion.

Relay For Life kicked off the 2007 campaign this year at the JMH Conference Center. Over 50 people and representatives from over 25 teams showed up for the event. This year’s theme is “Imagine”. I know I would love to imagine a world without cancer.


Our new Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Bernie Tisdale, has arrived and is in the process of setting up shop to start seeing patients. Dr. Tisdale was the youngest of six children that grew up in rural Lunenburg County, in Virginia on a tobacco farm. He attended the University of Virginia as an undergraduate, medical student, and Family Practice resident. After practicing as a Family Practice physician for four years, he trained in Radiation Oncology at the University of Louisville. He has been a Radiation Oncologist for 12 years, the last ten years in Richmond.

Opening day will be upon us before we know (April 1 for Radiation Oncology and Summer 2007 for the grand opening of the entire building). Job openings have been posted on the JMH website. Furniture is being picked out, along with all of the small details that will make this building something special.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.

As we get ready for the New Year, it is a great time to reflect and remember all of the things we should be thankful for. As I look back at the last year, I have many things to be grateful for. My family, my health, my job with the hospital, the community I live in, and the Cancer Center. So much to be thankful for. Living here in Abingdon has made me appreciate the smaller things in life that are so important.

Our new Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Bernie Tisdale, has been happily house hunting and is looking forward to moving to the area and enjoying Southwest Virginia. He will be arriving here February 1st and will start seeing patients as soon as possible. We are currently looking for temporary space for him to set up shop until the Cancer Center opens so he can go ahead and start seeing patients.

Discussions continue to be held with the local medical oncology groups as we move forward to help ensure Medical Oncology coverage in the Cancer Center. JMH is committed to supporting the medical oncologists that have provided care to our patients throughout these years.

Construction on the center is progressing rapidly on a daily basis. Every day that I visit, something new has been added. I actually went up on the second floor last week after the stairs were attached. What a great view. Bricks are being laid on the outside of the building. Inside walls are being constructed so you can now walk around and get a feel of how things will flow in the building. I have attached a picture of what the brick color scheme will look like.

It was amazing to watch the installation of our linear accelerator door which weighs 16 tons. Other than the basic frame, it was constructed piece by piece out of lead bricks and remarkably it can still be moved with the touch of a finger.

Partial paving has been done up to the site and around the building. It is so nice not to have to wash my car and my clothes every time I visit the site. I did not know that asphalt companies closed down for the winter so we will have to wait for a few months before the road and our parking areas can be completed. This is one of the many things I have learned as I have gone through this building process.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.

One of the great things that I have been able to do since moving here is work with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Relay For Life (RFL). I have had the honor to work with Lisa DeBusk, the ACS Representative in the area. I am one of the Chairmen this year, along with Bob Rose, of the RFL event this year with a goal to raise $218,000. This may seem to be a large goal, but after attending RFL Training, it appears we may have gone to low. Washington County, when compared to counties of the same size in population, was ranked #6 in the entire nation when it came to how much was given on average by each person. This is in large part to the hard work and dedication of Dr. Wendy Strawbridge and her husband George Strawbridge and the team they have developed over the last several years. This is a feat that Washington County can be proud of.

I am happy to announce that we have hired a Radiation Oncologist, Dr. Bernie Tisdale, to work at the Cancer Center. He is coming our way via Richmond, VA. He will be here in February 2007. He is excited about this opportunity to provide cancer treatment to our patients in our new facility. I will have more on Dr. Tisdale as we get closer to his arrival.

Construction continues to move along at a fast clip. More and more of the building continues to develop as walls and floors are completed, making it easier to work on the inside of the building. The next major milestone is the arrival of our linear accelerator which will provide radiation treatments to our patients. The machine is on schedule to arrive the second week of December.

One of the improvements that will be made to the site is the expansion of the road (Lee Highway) in front of the Cancer Center entrance to accommodate turning lanes. This may cause some temporary delays, but will improve access to the site when we open.

If reading my blog triggers a comment or a question, or if you just want to say hello, please post a comment to me. I really want to hear what the community thinks about the Cancer Center and I want to make sure that you are kept informed with our progress and what is happening in our never ending fight against cancer.