Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute

A department of Riverside Regional Medical Center

Welcome

Welcome to Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center, a comprehensive cancer treatment network with multiple locations in southeastern Virginia, Newport News, Williamsburg and Gloucester.

Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center is dedicated to taking cancer personally. You can count on a highly individualized approach to care that is tailored to the specific diagnosis and distinct medical and holistic needs of each person. The result is the most appropriate treatment plan possible and the understanding that we're not just treating cancer … we're treating the cancer that affects you and your family.

Our cancer care specialists include:

Physicians who are board-certified in hematology, medical oncology and palliative medicine
Oncology-certified registered nurses
A certified family nurse practitioner
A registered dietitian certified in oncology nutrition
A clinical research team that provides our patients with access to the latest clinical trials

Working together as a close and experienced team, we provide patients and their families with innovative and personalized care. Our treatment team also includes full-time integrative medicine specialists who cover a wide range of on-site patient services including:

Patient education
Nutritional counseling
Massage therapy
Pet therapy
Family services with direct connections to home health care, social services and hospice care

We are a part of the Riverside Medical Group, a network of more than 300 doctors practicing in nearly every medical specialty. You can expect timely appointments, easy access to our office via our patient portal, fast referrals and coordinated care with other Riverside specialists and your primary care doctor.

Like all effective, closely interacting teams, the care providers at Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center bring their individual skills and experience together to create an even greater collective whole. While each team member has his or her own special expertise, they share a patient-centered approach that affords the highest level of attentive, personalized care.

At Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center, we practice integrative oncology, a philosophy that combines effective, evidence-based cancer treatment and technology with integrative medicine therapies to benefit our patients. This approach to care is a complement to conventional treatment. It brings together a variety of interventions to reduce stress and anxiety, alleviate pain, promote a mind-body-spirit healing, reduce the impact of cancer treatment itself and improve overall health and well-being.

By treating the mind, body and spirit at the same time through such integrative therapies as meditation, nutrition, therapeutic massage, music, pet therapy and other stress reducing approaches, we work together to manage your illness at all levels.

Learn more about our integrative services:

Welcome to Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center. The patient-centered and compassionate care you can count on with us begins with the understanding that people diagnosed with cancer come here with many concerns. We make sure that one thing you don't have to be concerned about is getting the information you need to make the best possible decisions about your care.

That's why we provide all new patients and their families with the educational resources and information they need to reduce the unnecessary anxiety and confusion that can come with the diagnosis of cancer and the complexity of treatment options and approaches.

Why?

We believe providing patients and their families with the information they need to move forward on the journey of cancer treatment can help reduce fear and improve the ability to focus on care.

When?

We feel strongly that the very first step to good care is good information. So before any actual treatment begins, our patients and their families share in an individualized teaching session with a specially trained oncology nurse. In this way, our commitment to personalized care starts right away.

Where?

These informative sessions, a time when our staff talks clearly and listens carefully, are carried out in a calm, private setting within each Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center location.

How?

The sessions are designed to answer your questions and to help you know what questions to ask. They also provide other informational and educational resources including written information that can be reviewed at home at your convenience.

More questions?

Our oncology nurses can be reached by telephone or you can schedule a second appointment to answer any additional questions you or the people in your life providing support may have as you prepare to begin treatment.

Good care begins with good information. That's why Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center provides patients and their families with the educational resources and information they need to make the best possible decisions. By having the full range of facts and recommendations, along with knowledge of the current best practices related to care, they can reduce or avoid unnecessary fear, suffering and confusion related to the diagnosis of cancer and the complexity of state-of-the-art treatment options.

"If I had one piece of advice for someone going through cancer treatment, I would tell them, 'Get as much information as you can.' Being informed makes you feel more in control ... more prepared, and less anxious."
~ Cancer Survivor

Integrative services are offered to our patients at no charge.

It's done this way because of the very positive response from our patients and because we believe it adds significant value to their care. Regarding insurance and payment, it can vary by individual plan.

As a way to assure that every patient has access to integrative therapies and other services of Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute and Infusion Center, we have set up an endowment fund in conjunction with Riverside Health System.

This endowment fund supports the integrative medicine team and also helps to fund our research department. The fund also makes it possible to have our Riverside Cancer Nurse Navigators, the experienced and highly trained individuals who help guide our oncology patients through every step of their care.

Learn more about our integrative services endowment fund, called The Dr. Mark E. Ellis Endowment Fund for Cancer Care Advancement, and the other cancer care funds.

Palliative services and family support is offered by the Riverside Peninsula Cancer Institute & Infusion Center team to help relieve the pain, stress and symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment as well as provide emotional support for patients and family members. This unique program is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but relies on a close assessment of your specific medical and personal needs.

In all cases, our staff strives to make it comfortable for you and your family to discuss your thoughts and concerns in a safe and compassionate setting. As part of our Integrative Oncology mission of treating the whole person, the palliative care and family support program can also coordinate referrals to other services a patient might need, such as:

Home health care and hospice services
Medical supply companies and equipment
Meals-on-Wheels
Transportation
Private duty agencies
Support groups

June 12.2011

Bill Downey, President and COO
Riverside Health System
701 Town Center Drive, Suite 1000
Newport News, VA 23606

RE: Peninsula Cancer Institute-Exceeding Our Expectations

Dear Mr. Downey:

My mom, Julia Bray, was diagnosed with CML in October, 2008, by Guy Tilllinghast, MD, at the Peninsula Cancer Institute (PCI). So began her journey of perseverance.

There have been wins and losses during this journey but one thing has remained constant and that is the exemplary patient care and management provided by the team at the PCI. This institute should be the model for all doctor's offices/practices. It sets Riverside apart from all others.

From the moment we walked into the waiting room, there was a warm and welcome atmosphere. There's even a jigsaw puzzle set up-helps you feel comfortable and at home.

The check-in administrative staff is courteous, helpful and efficient. Appointment times really mean something. Rarely has mom had to wait more than a few minutes. In the various offices and even the area where blood is taken, there are touches of a wonderful "esprit de corps" among the staff. It is a team effort along with a whole patient being treated (Including caregivers).

Patient Care Coordinator is a vital function of the team. Sandra O'Marah, RN, OCN, has been our light in the storm. Sandy has taken and returned all of our calls. She has answered or found the answer to all our questions. She has followed up with us on her own when she felt we needed more information and to check to see how mom was doing. This is practically unheard of today. Sandy even had the dietician call me to work out more high protein foods to optimize mom's food intake.

There aren't enough words to properly describe Dr. Guy Tillinghast (Dr. T). He has always been respectful of mom and looks at her as a whole person, not someone with cancer.

When mom fell while visiting me in Maryland, Dr. T. was most gracious and helpful, along with Sandy, in getting mom's medications sent to us. He takes as much time as we need to explain care, side effects, solutions, concerns-whatever we need. We never feel like an interruption in his day. He gives us hope and that's key in fighting cancer. We have total trust in his decisions. He moves with caution and consideration. Most of all, he has an infinite medical knowledge of cancer and compassion for his patients.

The insight and vision of Dr. Mark Ellis in implementing this institute and all the functions associated therein is brilliant. His legacy will continue healing far beyond his years on earth.

We don't know what the future holds for mom but we do feel we have the best doctor, best healthcare team, best cancer care, best everything possible to give her a quality standard of living as long as we can. PC1 is exceeding our expectations. Thank you for this gift for our family.

Sincerely,

Constance F. Mays
Daughter of PC1 Patient, Julia F. Bray

You can direct email to: [email protected].

Newport News Office

On the campus of Riverside Regional Medical Center

757-534-5555
757-534-5566 Fax
12100 Warwick Blvd., Suite 201
Newport News, VA 23601

Directions:

From I-64
Exit 258A J Clyde Morris Blvd.
Cross Jefferson Avenue
Pass Riverside Regional Medical Center
Turn LEFT onto Warwick Boulevard
Turn LEFT at the FIRST light
Located on Second Floor of Riverside Cancer Care Center

Williamsburg Office

757-345-5724
757-345-2236 Fax
120 Kings Way, Suite 3100
Williamsburg, VA 23185

Directions:

From Newport News area on I-64
Exit 242A 199W
Continue approximately 6 miles
Turn LEFT at John Tyler Memorial Highway (Route 5 West)
Turn LEFT at Kings Way ~ First light
Located at the Riverside Kings Way building, Third Floor

From West Point Area on I-64
Exit 234 toward Lightfoot
Merge onto 199E
Continue approximately 7 and a half miles
Turn RIGHT at John Tyler Memorial Highway (Route 5 West)
Turn LEFT at Kings Way ~ First Light
Located at the Riverside Kings Way building, Third Floor

Gloucester Office

On the campus of Riverside Walter Reed Hospital

804-693-9037
804-693-9486 Fax
7544 Medical Drive, Suite B
Gloucester, VA 23061

Directions:

From Newport News Area
Follow J Clyde Morris Blvd. which turns into Route 17 North
Cross the Coleman Bridge (toll)
Proceed STRAIGHT on Route 17 North to Riverside Walter Reed Hospital
RIGHT into the Hospital
FOLLOW signs to Cancer Center

From Williamsburg Area
Colonial Parkway toward Yorktown
Follow Route 17 North
Cross the Coleman Bridge (toll)
Proceed STRAIGHT on Route 17 North to Riverside Walter Reed Hospital
RIGHT into the Hospital
FOLLOW signs to Cancer Center