PINEHURST, N.C. – “Ringing the bell” is a picture-taking, social-media-posting event for most cancer patients. Family, friends and medical staff cheer on patients as they make a joyful, clanging noise, signaling the end of the chemotherapy portion of their treatment.
For Southern Pines resident and breast cancer survivor Christina Sullivan, her April 6, 2023, celebration of completing 16 rounds of chemotherapy was particularly notable. She was the first patient to ring the bell in FirstHealth's new, $68 million comprehensive outpatient cancer center.
Longtime dreams of FirstHealth’s leaders and community members became a reality when the FirstHealth Cancer Center opened on Monday, March 27, 2023. Under one roof, patients can receive state-of-the-art outpatient care, from chemotherapy and radiation to palliative care, support services and even yoga. Natural light, calming décor and friendly faces occupy each of the center’s four floors.
“I get happy when I walk in the cancer center door; it’s so fun,” Sullivan laughed, a little surprised at herself. In addition to chemotherapy, Sullivan completed 30 rounds of radiation at the center, so she’s had plenty of time to develop relationships with the staff. “Everyone there—from the receptionist to volunteers to nurses and doctors—is so nice and easy to talk with. I can’t imagine not knowing the people I met there.”
At 31, Sullivan is young to have breast cancer, most often appearing in women over 50 who finished menopause. However, breast cancer can develop sooner for women with an inherited gene mutation. Sullivan’s mother, who had breast cancer twice, had the BRCA1 gene mutation. Sullivan underwent genetic testing at age 26 and learned she also had the gene mutation, increasing her likelihood of developing the disease.
“While hearing that news was eerie, I felt empowered that I could make advanced decisions about my body,” Sullivan said. When a painful lump developed in her armpit in December 2021, Sullivan consulted with physicians. Her diagnosis: early-stage breast cancer. Sullivan’s friends connected her with Saritha Ravella, M.D., a Pinehurst Medical Clinic and FirstHealth medical oncologist and hematologist.
“Dr. Ravella was easy to talk with and welcomed my questions,” Sullivan said. “Developing a personal connection with doctors is important to me, and I found that with all of my doctors at FirstHealth.”
Sullivan and her husband also met FirstHealth breast cancer nurse navigator Lynn Lanier, MSN, R.N., ONN-CG. As the title indicates, nurse navigators help patients and families navigate the cancer treatment process. Among their many functions are coordinating treatments, connecting patients to helpful resources and serving as a sounding board.
“One of the things about every doctor’s appointment, but especially one with a cancer diagnosis, is that it’s hard to process what you just learned,” Christina reflected. “Having Lynn there was the first thing that made me think, FirstHealth is where we’re supposed to be.”
Sullivan’s treatment plan included chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiation. Today, she’s cancer-free. However, Sullivan’s health care journey isn’t over, and neither are her relationships with providers at FirstHealth. Christina’s cancer type carries an increased risk for ovarian cancer, so she returns to the cancer center regularly to meet with FirstHealth gynecologic oncologist Michael Sundborg, M.D. Other FirstHealth professionals help with family planning discussions. She’ll also take oral medication for 5 years to prevent cancer recurrence.
The new center’s expansive size—120,000 square feet over four floors—gives Sullivan and other patients in the Sandhills access to next-level cancer services usually available only at large academic medical centers. It houses two radiation linear accelerators that deliver high-energy X-rays to destroy tumors. A 36-bay infusion center overlooks a specially designed Healing Garden. Researchers oversee an extensive clinical trials program that offers patients access to emerging treatments before they’re widely available. Genetic counseling and testing, like Christina had years ago, help patients and families understand their risk for certain cancer types.
On the center’s top floor, patients and families have access to support that’s unmatched in the Sandhills. Nurse navigators like Lanier and financial navigators help with logistical details so patients can focus on healing. Patients can receive nutritional guidance, spiritual care, grief counseling, and wellness activities such as yoga, exercise, meditation, massage, music therapy and canine therapy. It also houses CARE-Net, a unique “buddy system” that matches trained volunteers with patients who need a sympathetic ear, caring heart or helping hand.
“Our staff was so happy to celebrate with Christina as she rang the bell in the new cancer center,” said Sushma Patel, M.D., Sullivan’s radiation oncologist and co-medical director of the cancer center. “Our steadfast commitment to her and people throughout the Sandhills is to deliver world-class cancer care close to home.”
About FirstHealth of the Carolinas
FirstHealth of the Carolinas is a private, not-for-profit health care network headquartered in Pinehurst. Its 5,300 employees serve 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas. Licensed for four hospitals with 610 beds, FirstHealth is committed to delivering whole-patient care to all the communities it serves.
