“Proton therapy is one of the most significant advances in cancer treatment we’ve seen in our lifetime,” said Hamilton. “As a resident of Tennessee, I am so grateful this technology is available in our state and I am honored to serve on the Provision Center for Proton Therapy Board.”
Hamilton’s much publicized bout with testicular cancer in 1997, and his November, 2004 diagnosis and July 2010 recurrence of a benign, non-cancerous pituitary brain tumor, from which he has successfully recovered, has touched him with a special insight into life and the human condition. He is the founder of the Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative, the Cancer Alliance for Research, Education and Survivorship, a partnership with the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute where he was treated. Through CARES, Hamilton champions the 4th Angel Mentoring Program, promotes ChemoCare.com and helps raise money for breakthrough cancer research. It is Hamilton’s vision to eradicate cancer within his lifetime, and his mission remains to help find strategies to improve the quality of life for individuals with cancer.
“Scott Hamilton is a natural fit for us,” said Terry Douglass, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board, Provision Center for Proton Therapy. “He is truly a role model that lives his life in a way that aligns with the mission and core values of our organization. His enthusiasm and desire to give back and to educate and inspire others is only one of the many reasons we’re blessed and thankful to have him as part of our Board.”
The Board of Directors is the primary governing body of the Provision Center for Proton Therapy that guides the Center’s charitable mission of clinical care, education and research. The Board meets four times per year and is comprised of six members, who are selected on the basis of their expertise and experience.
Located at Dowell Springs in Knoxville, the Provision Center for Proton Therapy is scheduled to start treating patients in early 2014. Proton therapy, the most advanced form of radiotherapy in the world, uses a single beam of high-energy protons to treat various forms of cancer. Different from conventional radiation therapy — in which beam energy dissipates as it passes through the body — proton beams can be fine-tuned with millimeters of accuracy to deliver maximum energy within the controlled range of the cancerous tumor.
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About Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton has won 70 titles, awards and honors including an Emmy Award nomination, induction into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame and a privileged member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. He captured the attention of the world 30 years ago with his Olympic Gold medal performances in Sarajevo and since has shared his love and enthusiasm for the sport as a commentator, performer and best-selling author. He further inspires others as a speaker, philanthropist and cancer survivor. Most recently, Hamilton released his new inspirational book “The Great Eight” and signed on to be part of Season 8, “The Celebrity Apprentice” on NBC. Hamilton lives in Nashville with his family.
About Provision Center for Proton Therapy
Opening in early 2014, the Provision Center for Proton Therapy will be the first of its kind in Tennessee and only the second in the Southeast. The center will provide one of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world to patients in the region. Open to all credentialed physicians and health systems in the region, the Provision Center for Proton Therapy will have three treatment rooms and will be able to treat up to 1,000 cancer patients annually, and will bring in many patients from outside the area. The center brings to Knoxville an advanced cancer treatment capability that presently is available in only a handful of cities. When completed, it will be one of only 14 in the nation.
PHOTO CAPTION: (left to right) Terry Douglass, Ph.D., Chairman of the Provision Center for Proton Therapy, and Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold figure skating medalist, cancer survivor, author and philanthropist. Hamilton, a Nashville resident, recently joined the Provision Center for Proton Therapy Board of Directors.