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TowneBank names MRI-guided radiation therapy suite at Massey

In a building designed to bring cancer care to new heights, Massey cancer patients now have access to the latest radiation-oncology technology – the MRIdian™ MR linear accelerator (MR Linac). The first-in-the-region technology is changing the course of cancer treatment – and providing new hope – for patients with traditionally difficult-to-treat solid tumors like lung, liver and pancreatic cancers.

“The MR Linac is the crown jewel of radiation oncology,” said Megan Quinn, Administrator of Radiation Oncology at VCU Health and Massey. Quinn was speaking to a room full of VCU Massey Advisory Board members and donors earlier this fall about the tool’s potential for improving treatment for patients.

“The MR Linac is the crown jewel of radiation oncology” – Megan Quinn

Quinn, a member of the Massey Cancer Center radiation oncology team, noted that Massey is the first cancer center between Pennsylvania and Florida to use MR Linac to treat cancer patients, a significant advance for cancer care in the region.

Tracey Jameson, TowneBank Richmond Senior Vice President and VCU Massey Cancer Center Advisory Board member.

The MR Linac radiation suite uses advanced imaging to guide and pinpoint the radiation beam to target the tumor while protecting surrounding tissues, making it possible to treat solid tumors in areas of the body where it was not previously possible. Lung cancer, for example, is traditionally difficult for traditional technologies to treat, because that part of the body is always moving.

It is precisely because of the impact this innovation will have on cancer patients and families in the Richmond community that TowneBank, a long-time Massey supporter, wanted to get involved.

TowneBank awarded Massey a $150,000 grant that was matched through The Cabell Foundation to help make this state-of-the-art technology available to patients. The funds will name the new MR Linac radiation oncology suite as well as a new patient and family lounge on the Breast Imaging/Radiology floor of the VCU Massey Cancer Center, located in the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion that opened to patients in December 2021.

“This new imaging technology, coupled with the knowledge and experience of the health professionals at VCU and Massey Cancer Center, will have a tremendous impact on patient outcomes,” said Bob Aston, TowneBank executive chairman. “VCU Massey Cancer Center is providing the best in care for patients in Virginia and beyond, and TowneBank is honored to support these efforts and to do our part in the fight against cancer.”

The sign outside the new radiation oncology suite dedicated by TowneBank reads:

MR Linac Suite
Given in gratitude for the medical professionals who serve the needs of this community
dedicated by TowneBank

“The MR Linac is one of the most exciting advancements in radiation oncology right now, and we have it here at Massey,” Quinn said.  “When we were planning for the new building and strategizing about how to best care for our patients now and into the future, we decided to invest in a technology that would support the pursuit of patient-tailored treatment and presently, that is best served with the MR-Linac, which allows us to adjust treatment on a daily basis as needed.”

TowneBank is a longtime corporate sponsor of Massey, with support dating back to 1992. The company has donated over a quarter of a million dollars to advance Massey’s mission to prevent, treat and ultimately cure cancer, including its sponsorship of Massey’s Women and Wellness initiative that’s designed to raise awareness about the importance of screenings to address women’s cancers.

“As a local bank, it is our mission to be an asset in every one of our communities by serving others and enriching lives,” said Tracey Jameson, a Senior Vice President at TowneBank Richmond, who is a commercial lender for homebuilders and developers and a member of the VCU Massey Cancer Center Advisory Board.

One in three women and one in two men in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. While survivorship numbers continue to rise, cancer still touches nearly everyone. “With numbers like this, there really is no more critical a need than fighting cancer,” Jameson said.

“An exciting thing about the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion building is that radiation oncology is now above ground,” Quinn said. Before opening the new building, Massey’s downtown radiation oncology services were in a basement with very little natural light. “With advances in architecture and specifically with radiation shielding, we were able to create a modern radiation oncology space in the new building. Our patients now see sweeping views of the surrounding city and area. Natural daylight is infused throughout.”

“Our patients now see sweeping views of the surrounding city and area. Natural daylight is infused throughout.” - Meghan Quinn

Massey’s new outpatient cancer center in the VCU Health Adult Outpatient Pavilion was designed with the whole patient in mind. Vibrant art fills the walls, floor-to-ceiling windows bring in natural light from all sides, and patients and families benefit from thoughtful amenities like a wig salon, patient resource education center, on-site pharmacy and counseling services as well as easy wayfinding and parking. “The result is a much-improved experience for patients,” Quinn said.

“A primary challenge of radiation oncology is using the radiation beam to treat the tumor while protecting healthy surrounding tissues. That’s the name of the game.”

“What’s most special about the MR Linac is that it allows for daily online adaptive planning. Before we start the radiation treatment, we look at where the tumor is, we look at how the anatomy may have changed since the last treatment and we make adjustments to where the beam is going. With the MR Linac technology we can visualize and track tumor movement in real time, which allows us to more accurately control and deliver the prescribed radiation amount even with body movements that the patient cannot control.”

”The MR Linac allows for real-time adjustments. And that is a game-changer.”

Written by: Katherine A. Layton

Additional information about the Adult Outpatient Pavilion