It’s been another year of challenge and progress for our staff, patients, and their loved ones. But the perseverance of our staff and our patients continues to inspire hope and optimism.
Following the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surge early this year, we turned a corner to more a positive and normal mode. Today we are on alert to the current concerning uptick in the spread of COVID-19. Cancer does not stop because of a pandemic, and neither do we.
As we reflect on this year, we note that cancer care is becoming more individualized, precise, and certain cancers, if caught early, are increasing in survivorship. More innovations in diagnosis and treatment are emerging such as liquid biopsies, radiopharmaceuticals, and precision medicine. We’re seeing patients live longer, higher quality lives, even with aggressive cancer types, compared to 10 or 15 years ago. But challenges remain. For example, rates of cancer are increasing due to the fact that many people did not get screenings during the pandemic.
At Texas Oncology, our enduring priority is bringing cancer care closer to you and your families, rather than requiring disruptive and costly travel. We are investing in our team, which has grown to more than 6,000, and in our facilities, with new or remodeled cancer centers opened this year in Keller, Las Colinas, and Tyler. More projects are underway in Amarillo, Beaumont, El Paso, Houston, New Braunfels, Pasadena, and Round Rock.
I want to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of every member of our Texas Oncology team. With locations across Texas, we are not together physically, but we are united in purpose and in a commitment to doing the right thing for our patients, each other, and the communities we serve. Inside Texas Oncology, we call this Our Promise. Our team’s effort to keep that promise is nothing short of inspiring. I am humbled to work alongside such a dedicated team.
As we move forward into 2023, I leave you with the message to continue having hope. We are grateful for the opportunity to join you in your fight against cancer. All that we do is imbued with compassion and determination to put our patients first.
On behalf of all of us at Texas Oncology, I wish you the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year.
R. Steven Paulson, M.D.
President and Chairman of the Board
Texas Oncology