TAMPA, Fla. — Dealing with a cancer diagnosis is always difficult, and it can be even harder if families need to travel far for care.
But, a local hospital hopes to bring cutting-edge treatment to the Tampa Bay region soon.
They’re the words no parent ever wants to hear.
“He just said there’s no easy way to tell you this, but your son has a tumor in his brain. We’re pretty sure it’s cancer," said Michael Hartnett.
Hartnett’s five-year-old son was diagnosed with medulloblastoma about a month before his fourth birthday.
“We followed the St. Jude protocol for his type of cancer, and that requires proton therapy. He had to do it five days a week for six weeks," said Hartnett. "The bottom line was we had to go somewhere. There’s nothing here in Tampa.”
His family lives in the Zephyrhills area. They had been commuting and even partially relocated during the week to Jacksonville for proton therapy for his son’s treatment.
“It’s just a challenge," said Hartnett. "It put a big strain on our family.”
Now, that burden could soon get lighter for local families. Construction of a proton therapy center is set to start at St. Joseph’s Hospital Cancer Institute.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to bring the first proton therapy center to Tampa Bay," said Kimberly Guy, the Co-Chief Operating Officer for BayCare Health System."This is the latest, most advanced technology in cancer treatment, and we’re going to be able to bring that to our local community so they will no longer have to leave the area to receive it.”
Dr. Nitesh Paryani, the Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at St. Joseph’s, explained how it works.
“Traditional radiation therapy uses x-rays, which pass in and out of a patient, and as they come in and come out, they deposit radiation dose," said Dr. Paryani. "Proton therapy is different because, as a particle, it can go to a certain depth and deliver radiation where it needs to go. This allows us to limit collateral radiation dose to surrounding organs.”
The hospital said the treatment is expected to be available by fall 2025.
“I just got chills thinking about it," said Hartnett. "I mean, I wish it was an opportunity we had."
In other good news for patients, Tampa General has said it’s preparing to build a proton therapy center, telling ABC Action News on Friday it plans to accept patients in proton therapy in early 2026.
Moffitt Cancer Center hopes to start seeing patients at their proton therapy unit in late spring of 2026.
