This will make all of you pro downtown development folks cringe.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

I was driving North on Macarthur on my way home from work today. I was hungry so I decided a Braum’s burger sounded good. I drove towards Memorial and guess what appears on the horizon. I had to go back to the house to get my camera so I could show every one of you what my eyes had observed.

I read in the paper Intergris had purchased this parcel of land. I wonder what they have in store for this location.

[dmdeason]

This is the new Proton Therapy Center. A second will be built at the OU Health Sciences Center.

11/16/2006

BY JERRY SHOTTENKIRK
THE JOURNAL RECORD

OKLAHOMA CITY - As Chris Chandler, senior vice president of sales and marketing for ProCure Treatment Centers, puts it, Oklahoma City is about to get another significant tool in its medical toolbox.

ProCure, along with partners Radiation Medicine Associates (RMA) and Radiation Oncology Associates (ROA), said on Tuesday it will open the nation's first private practice proton treatment center in 2009.

Chandler said a location and specific timeline for the center will be announced in March. The 55,000-square-foot facility is expected to cost more than $100 million to build and will have more than 100 full-time employees who will make in excess of $100,000 each. It will provide treatment to more than 1,500 cancer patients per year, and half of those will be from outside the metro area.

Currently proton therapy is available at academic bases, including Loma Linda University in California, Massachusetts General Hospital (Harvard Medical School), Indiana University, the University of Florida and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. The University of Pennsylvania Health System is scheduled to open a proton therapy treatment center in 2008.

Proton therapy, which has been hailed as the most advanced external radiation treatment available, uses a controlled beam of protons to zero in on the cancer cells in a tumor. About 50,000 cancer sufferers around the world have been helped by proton therapy, which is given on an outpatient basis for about 15 to 30 minutes. It is a painless, non-invasive procedure for the treatment of most common types of cancer, including head and neck, prostate, breast, lung, colorectal and brain tumors.

Chandler said Oklahoma City was chosen because of the doctors involved at RMA and ROA. "They have leading practices and have brought cutting-edge technology to the community," Chandler said. "The doctors contacted us and said it was important to have such a facility."

Chandler said it "made a lot of sense to choose Oklahoma City. It has good airport access and is a good population center. We've been pleased with the reception from physicians and everyone else we've dealt with."

Hadley Ford, chief executive officer of ProCure, said 80 percent of cancer patients prefer treatment from their local physicians instead of traveling to treatment centers at large universities.

"That's why we're focusing our attention on forming partnerships at the community level," Ford said. "Our dream is to make proton therapy accessible to everyone who would benefit from the treatment."

The center is a significant victory for the city, said Mayor Mick Cornett.

"With the addition of a proton therapy treatment center, Oklahoma City takes another important step toward leading the nation in the development and use of the latest technology," Cornett said.

William Goad, who founded RMA in 2001 with John Taylor, said the city will have the best possible treatment.

"The physical quality of proton particle therapy is superior and limits the exposure of normal tissues to the effects of radiation," Goad said. "When proton therapy is combined with chemotherapy, patients will have fewer side effects and complications that may limit their ability to tolerate treatment for the best results. Clinical studies demonstrate that proton therapy is significant for reducing side effects and improving the outcome of treatment for cancer patients."

ProCure founder John Cameron said officials with his company are looking forward to the partnership with RMA and ROA.

"We are thrilled to be building here and excited to work with such renowned local physicians," Cameron said.

[mranderson]

I was driving North on Macarthur on my way home from work today. I was hungry so I decided a Braum’s burger sounded good. I drove towards Memorial and guess what appears on the horizon. I had to go back to the house to get my camera so I could show every one of you what my eyes had observed.

I read in the paper Intergris had purchased this parcel of land. I wonder what they have in store for this location.

If you mean Memorial and MacArthur, then it is probably the new cancer research center.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

Okay let's review shall we....

I was driving North on Macarthur towards Memorial....

DING DING DING DING DING.... YOU JUST WON $1000!!!!

NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE BONUS QUESTION!

When was the war of 1812?

[okclee]

Did you use the drive-thru at Braum's?? and if so what did you order??

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

Yes......Dr. Pepper, fries and...a Bacon Cheese Burger.

[andy157]

Okay let's review shall we....

I was driving North on Macarthur towards Memorial....

DING DING DING DING DING.... YOU JUST WON $1000!!!!

NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE BONUS QUESTION!

When was the war of 1812?

I don't remember when it was. But I think it was after the Revolutionary and before the Civil. Do I win?

[Patrick]

Yes......Dr. Pepper, fries and...a Bacon Cheese Burger.

Did you try to order grocery items through the drive thru? LOL!

[Patrick]

Hey, really this is pretty old news.

[Patrick]

If you mean Memorial and MacArthur, then it is probably the new cancer research center.

Actually, this is just going to be a site where you'll be able to receive proton therapy.

The state cancer research center is being built on the campus of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. It will also include a proton therapy center.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

Sorry that answer is incorrect....

But we would like to offer you some lovely parting gifts.


A lifetime supply of Turtle Wax.



A specatular set of Samonite Luggage



A finally a Tuesday night stay at your local Motel 6.



I am Don Pardo .... Thanks for playing "YOU KNOW IT ALL!"

[Patrick]

How about some airplane tickets with the hotel and luggage?

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

Well....

We do have some old Eastern Airlines tickets around here somwhere. I will see if I can find them.

[Patrick]

No, I want Braniff tickets.

[Patrick]

So, did you get the baconcheeseburgerdeluxe at Braums?

[andy157]

Sorry that answer is incorrect....

But we would like to offer you some lovely parting gifts.


A lifetime supply of Turtle Wax.



A specatular set of Samonite Luggage



A finally a Tuesday night stay at your local Motel 6.



I am Don Pardo .... Thanks for playing "YOU KNOW IT ALL!"

Can I upgrade to a Holiday Inn Express?

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

OMG.... That was funny I fell out of my desk chair I was laughing so hard!!

[Patrick]

When was the war of 1812?

Uhhh. I dunno.

[metro]

Hey, really this is pretty old news.

I agree, this was announced last year, etc. But the turtle wax/luggage bit got me laughing a little bit.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

On a more serious note... I knew that facitlity was going in there I just did not think it was going to be that tall especially since they mention 50,000 sqft. I figured they would build something about the height of the Heart Hospital by Mercy.

Since they are using a large skyscraper crane, I would like to think it will at least be 8 or 10 floors.