By: Chuck DeGooyer, CEO, Tri-Cities Cancer Center

We’re nearly six months into 2020 and we’ve each had to face many challenges from the COVID-19 virus. It has thoroughly stressed each of us to our limits, but through it all, I am proud to say we have continued providing world-class care at your Tri-Cities Cancer Center. And in spite of this challenge, I have personally gained many “learnings,” the most important are related to the courage of our patients and their families, my team and their families, and our community that we serve. I’d like to share a few with you.

The Tri-Cities Cancer Center is a mission-based organization and because our patients, their families, and their physicians entrust their cancer care to us, I’d like to say THANK YOU for allowing us to serve you. No one wishes for a diagnosis that says “you have cancer” but when you do need care, we promise to serve you with world-class cancer care. This is our mission and we THANK YOU for entrusting your care to us.

We have built a team of caring professionals who have committed their careers to caring for patients and for providing the very best each and every day. In spite of having to wear masks, gloves, face shields, and protective gowns, our TCCC team is committed to providing you the very best care and I say THANK YOU to my team because they are here to care for you in the very best way. In spite of the COVID virus risk to themselves or to their families, they take careful precautions every day with every single patient. THANK YOU to my team for providing world-class care each and every day.

And finally, I want to say THANK YOU to our community for your ongoing assistance to our mission and to our TCCC Foundation so we can continue offering no-cost support services for our community. From meals for our cancer patients to masks for our staff, patients, and community to wear, we continue to be so appreciative of your assistance. Financial gifts from donors continue to come in different ways to support our efforts and it’s this extra value that makes the difference to our patient’s care. THANK YOU Tri-Cities community for your continued support that has never wavered during our entire time in service to our community.

In one of the most difficult times in my career and our lives, my greatest learning is to say THANK YOU to so many that have earned our thanks. We are your Tri-Cities Cancer Center.