Healthy Living Newsletter
Harbor Beach Physician Receives Radiation Therapy at Mercy Regional Cancer Center
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| Kanu Dalal, MD, Mercy Hospital Radiation Oncologist, discusses final treatment information with Candelaria Castaneda, MD, (Dr. Del) from Harbor Beach at one of Dr. Del’s treatment sessions. |
Making choices in health care can be intimidating when considering the options available throughout the region.
When Candelaria Castaneda, MD, of Harbor Beach faced a breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year, she turned to the Mercy Regional Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital to receive radiation therapy.
An internal medicine physician, Dr. Castaneda, or “Dr. Del” as she is commonly known to her Harbor Beach patients, was diagnosed with breast cancer through a routine mammogram. “I underwent a lumpectomy and I was fortunate because my cancer was in its very early stages,” comments Dr. Del. “After which I was referred for radiation therapy.”
Dr. Del made an appointment with Kanu Dalal, MD, a radiation therapy physician at Mercy. “After seeing the setup at Mercy, I decided to start radiation treatment in late March,” explains Dr. Del.
In total, Dr. Del received 33 treatments, traveling every morning from Harbor Beach to the Mercy Regional Cancer Center. “I obtained early morning appointments so I could be back at my office to see my patients throughout the day,” she says.
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| Candelaria Castaneda, MD, pictured center obtains one of her last radiation therapy treatments at the Mercy Regional Cancer Center. The highly-advanced linear accelerator at Mercy provides Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) or SmartBeam™ radiation therapy to cancer patients such as Dr. Castaneda from clinical experts including (left to right) Sue Stone Board Certified Radiation Therapist (RTT); Kanu Dalal, MD, Radiation Oncologist; and Cindy Hensley Board Certified Radiation Therapist (RTT). |
“I am very thankful to the staff at Mercy,” Dr. Del continues, “Everyone has been very caring and supportive, from Dr. Dalal to the nurses and radiation therapy staff.
“I want to especially thank Connie Tiechow, RN,” Dr. Del explains, “Connie was my first contact with Mercy and is the person who made me feel that from the very start everything would be just fine.”
Mercy Regional Cancer Center offers a vast array of cancer care diagnostic, treatment and support services. In addition to its outpatient programs such as radiation therapy, Mercy offers access to highly-trained and certified oncology nursing staff for inpatient care and treatment.
Mercy Regional Cancer Center is accredited by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons, ensuring patients access to the best community cancer care programs.
“When I received my referral for radiation therapy, I was offered a couple of options for obtaining therapy,” concludes Dr. Del. “I’m pleased with my decision to go to the Mercy Regional Cancer Center. The service was great.”
For more information regarding radiation therapy or cancer services at Mercy Hospital, visit the Cancer Care section of this website.
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