VCS Arlington office receives recognition for providing pro bono care to cancer patients in need
Fairfax, Va. (June 2, 2016) — Virginia Cancer Specialists (VCS), Northern Virginia’s premier cancer care center with 40 years of service to patients battling cancer and blood diseases, today announced its Arlington office was awarded the prestigious 2016 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Award for the small business category. The practice received the honor in recognition of the pro bono care it provided to 160 low income or uninsured cancer patients who most likely would not have received the treatment they needed without the help of VCS. The award was presented during a special ceremony hosted by Governor Terry McAuliffe on April 18 at the Virginia Executive Mansion.
“I am proud and honored to celebrate Virginia’s outstanding volunteers who have made such enormous contributions to those in need throughout the Commonwealth,” said Governor McAuliffe. “These individuals, organizations and companies set an example for us all to give back to our communities and embody the spirit of service which makes Virginia a special place to live and work.”
The cost for cancer treatment often surpasses $50,000 a month, which is insurmountable for some patients. Virginia Cancer Specialists is committed to helping any cancer patient in need of care and accepts and treats all cancer patients referred to them by the Arlington Free Clinic, with the support of Virginia Hospital Center.
“We are honored to have received the Governor’s Community Service Award for small business,” said Thomas Butler, MD, FACP, oncologist with the Virginia Cancer Specialists Arlington office. “VCS is dedicated to providing high-quality cancer care to all individuals, regardless of the person’s ability to pay. We believe in investing in our communities by providing aid and support to economically-distressed families that need our help dealing with cancer. We have a long-standing policy of improving and giving back to the communities we serve, and pro bono care is an important part of that tradition.”
VCS physicians also participate in community groups that conduct cancer screening outreach in low-income housing complexes and churches throughout Arlington and surrounding communities. The practice’s patient care philosophy is that healthcare is a basic human right and that, as members of the community, the practice has a responsibility to help anyone in need.
“We truly value all people in our community, and consider it our duty, as well as an honor and a privilege, to serve all patients in our region who are battling cancer,” said Patricia Rodriguez, MD, oncologist with the VCS Arlington office. “Our 40-year history of success is proof that it is possible to be deeply compassionate and care for those in need while simultaneously thriving as a business.”
About Virginia Cancer Specialists
For more than 40 years, Virginia Cancer Specialists has contributed to the campaign against cancer and diseases of the blood. VCS has nine locations throughout Northern Virginia staffed by more than 30 highly-skilled physicians, each delivering exceptional care. The practice has built a world-class treatment team of cancer specialists, as well as acquiring the very latest treatment technology to help achieve the best outcomes for patients. VCS unites medical, radiation, and orthopedic oncologists, hematologists, oncology nurse navigators, oncology infusion nurses, radiation therapists, genetic counselors, oncology pharmacists and laboratory technicians, all working together as a team to design the optimal multidisciplinary treatment program, efficiently sharing knowledge, executing the treatment plan, and providing a patient-centered, consumer-friendly approach to cancer care. Patients receive the full spectrum of high-quality care necessary to treat their disease from a care team united in their effort to provide each patient with the specific personalized care they need to battle cancer.
Virginia Cancer Specialists has a well-established, comprehensive clinical research program and is one of the only fully staffed cancer centers committed to research in Northern Virginia. The practice has access to hundreds of innovative clinical trials through its affiliation with The US Oncology Network, one of the nation’s largest associations of community-based oncologists and a leader in the advancement of cancer research and treatment. The US Oncology Network conducts clinical research through US Oncology Research, which has played a role in approximately 60 FDA-approved cancer therapies. US Oncology Research manages about 300 active trials at any given time, and VCS participates in many of them, testing new leading-edge drugs or various combinations of treatments for cancer and blood disorders. To learn more about Virginia Cancer Specialists, please visit www.VirginiaCancerSpecialists.com.