Cancer patients traditionally ring a bell in the cancer center at the conclusion of
their cancer treatment. Ringing the bell is an emotional and triumphant celebration
of all the patient has accomplished - conquering fear, persevering through uncertainty,
enduring adversity and hardship, and hanging on to hope with strength and a strong
will to live.
When patients ring the bell at the Georgia Cancer Center, they celebrate this tremendous
milestone with the knowledge that they have their team at the Georgia Cancer Center
to see them through survivorship. Achievement. Support. Advancement. The Augusta University
bell tower logo means so much to so many at the university and at the Georgia Cancer
Center.
Each day, more than 100 Georgians learn they have cancer. These newly-diagnosed patients
want to know how to get on with treatment – and their normal lives – as quickly as
possible. At the Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University, our patients find the
means, motivation and support to fight back. Here, they will join a strong team of
healthcare providers who will battle alongside them.
At the Georgia Cancer Center, our mission is to reduce the burden of cancer in the
state of Georgia and across the globe through superior care, innovation and education.
We work toward this goal one patient at a time. Our greatest success is possible with
the support of philanthropic partners who step up to ring the bell of hope.
While more and more people are surviving cancer and Georgia cancer death rates decline
every year, the decline is not as rapid nor as deep as we would like it to be. Cancer
remains the second leading cause of death in our state. One of every five deaths in
Georgia is attributable to cancer.
Our scientific research and compassionate care takes aim at those statistics, working
to improve the cancer profile of the state. But our patients are far more than statistics
and diagnoses. They are individuals and families, hopes and dreams, determination
and fear. And they need you.
Our Mission
To accomplish our mission of reducing the burden of cancer in our state, the Georgia
Cancer Center at Augusta University is on a journey to National Cancer Institute (NCI)
designation. The long-term path toward this significant goal is paved with great strides
in the areas of clinical care, research and prevention.
NCI-designated Cancer Centers meet the most rigorous standards for transdisciplinary,
state-of-the art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing,
diagnosing and treating cancer. NCI Cancer Centers are grant-funded to support deep
and diverse scientific innovation for even greater advances in cancer treatment discovery.
Our goals for NCI designation require us to recruit leading cancer researchers and
gather crucial support for translational research. We need new cancer scientists from
multiple disciplines and research interests, we need to improve our infrastructure,
and we need to expand our outreach efforts throughout Georgia. Philanthropic support
is essential for reaching this next step in cancer care for Georgia and the surrounding
areas.
Advancing Scientific Excellence
The most successful fights against cancer begin in the laboratory. In 2018, we opened
the $62.5 million expansion of the M. Bert Storey Research Building on our campus,
with significant support from our philanthropic partners.
Becoming a Destination Cancer Center
Ringing a bell of understanding means investing in robust patient care programs that
can make the cancer journey more bearable, and, at the same time, build a destination
center for cancer care excellence.
Meeting the Needs of Our Population
The Georgia Cancer Center believes in ringing the bell for all. We have developed
outreach programs designed to address the specific challenges that our state and the
Southeast region face.
Ring the Bell for Generations
Research
The Georgia Cancer Center M. Bert Storey Research Building provides quality research
space to promote multidisciplinary collaborations and translational research, which
is essential to creating an environment that promotes innovation. Our research approach
supports important National Cancer Institute goals ensuring every cancer patient has
access to the newest and most innovative clinical trials in the nation.
The Education & Training Office of the Georgia Cancer Center is dedicated to enhancing
the development of current and future generations of cancer biomedical professionals
with the ultimate goal of reducing the burden of cancer in Georgia and across the
globe.
The Georgia Cancer Center houses a dedicated cancer clinical research unit that oversees
the center’s own Phase I-IV trials and manages studies from throughout the medical
center offered in conjunction with oncology departments such as radiology and gynecologic
oncology.
The Georgia Cancer Center is dedicated to empowering members of our community to become
catalysts for change. By fostering positive partnerships, we hope to work with our
patients and our community to increase healthy behaviors and reduce the risk of developing
cancer. From prevention to survivorship, we strive to be the community’s “go-to” resource
for cancer treatment and care.
We can provide information that ranges from educational and prevention sessions to
special events; from screenings to research updates; from clinical care to survivorship
programs - all with the focus on supporting those being affected by a diagnosis of
cancer and finding a cure for this disease.
It is a perfect partnership thanks to a popular breakfast food and a need to support Georgia’s cancer center and the patients receiving treatment for their disease. For two years now, the Georgia Cancer Center has been proud to partner with Covelli Enterprises, which operates Panera Bread franchises across the country, including one each in […]
A mother may have lost her daughter to an aggressive form of brain cancer, but that doesn’t mean she’s stopped supporting the medical team that gave her family more time to make memories. For this community catalyst, it is all about providing hope for future families facing the same dire diagnosis. “Dr. Ted Johnson took […]
A husband and wife are a team that sticks together through good and bad, through the healthy days and the days when a sickness shows up and threatens everything. As a team, Mike and Linda Polatty want to share what they learned through the tough times, and that willingness to share their story and support […]
She has spent her life investing in the community where she lives, both through work, as well as supporting various community events in the Augusta River Region. For Pat Schaffer, it’s a belief she passes on to those employees working under her at Villa Europa on Deans Bridge Road.
The Georgia Cancer Center at Augusta University is dedicated to reducing the burden
of cancer in Georgia and across the globe through superior care, innovation, and education.
Through unprecedented expansion, the Georgia Cancer Center is providing access to
more first-in-the-nation clinical trials, world-renowned experts and life-saving options.