Cancer
St. Joseph’s/Candler provides cancer care and oncology services in Bluffton and Hilton Head
Key Takeaways:
- St. Joseph’s/Candler and South Carolina Cancer Specialists offer medical oncology in Bluffton and Hilton Head.
- St. Joseph’s/Candler also offers radiation therapy with the use of TrueBeam in Bluffton and Hilton Head.
- Other Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion oncology services available in South Carolina include clinical trials, social work, nutrition counseling, pastoral care and more.
St. Joseph’s/Candler began serving the Bluffton and Hilton Head communities more than 24 years ago. Not long after the Nancy N. and J.C. Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion (LCRP) opened in 2006, cancer services were added in the Lowcountry.
Since then, St. Joseph’s/Candler and South Carolina Cancer Specialists joined forces to offer medical oncology in Bluffton and Hilton Head led by board-certified medical oncologist Dr. Gary Thomas, who was recently recognized for more than 30 years of oncology service in the Lowcountry.
In 2020, we opened the St. Joseph’s/Candler Bluffton Campus, located off Buckwalter Parkway, that includes medical oncology, radiation therapy, infusion therapy, PET-CT and more services.
So as Bluffton continues to grow – expanding by more than 300 percent in population since 2020, according to a study by the Town of Bluffton – so do the cancer services St. Joseph’s/Candler offers in the South Carolina Low Country.
“When I first got here in 1993, I couldn’t believe how remote it was,” Dr. Thomas recalls. “It was very country, and during certain times of the year in Hilton Head, you could lay down on (Highway) 278, and there wouldn’t even be a car going by.”
“There’s been a lot of development here, and I think one of the greatest things is our cancer center here in Bluffton that St. Joseph’s/Candler opened.”
What is oncology and an oncologist?
Oncology is the branch of medicine that studies and treats cancer. Cancer is the abnormal growth of cells.
An oncologist is a specialized doctor that has education and training to diagnose and treat cancer. There are three main types of oncology/oncologists: Medical, radiation and surgical.
Medical oncology
Medical oncologists treat cancer with medications like chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
“I would never have imagined that over 30 years we’d have such an explosion of treatment options for patients with immunotherapy and still with chemotherapy,” Dr. Thomas says. “We’re able to offer better treatments and supportive care. People don’t get as sick anymore. They don’t have as much nausea or vomiting. So these explosions of targeted therapies have meant so much.”
The LCRP medical oncologists are also hematologist, which means they also treat non-cancerous blood disorders.
Related Article: What is hematology?
Radiation oncology
Radiation oncologists treat cancer with radiation therapy. At the LCRP Lowcountry radiation offices in Bluffton and Hilton Head, we offer radiation therapy with the TrueBeam machine, which delivers radiation with exceptional speed and precision, reducing treatment times and improving patient comfort.
“We offer standard radiation therapy at both South Carolina sites, and we can treat cancer anywhere in the body with the equipment we have between Bluffton and Hilton Head,” says Dr. John Mikell, radiation oncologist with the LCRP. “Some of the more specialized treatments like radiosurgery or stereotactic body radiation therapy, we do in Bluffton and Savannah.”
The Bluffton location also has a CT simulator which radiation oncologists use for treatment planning, Dr. Mikell adds.
Meet the oncologists with the Lewis Cancer & Research Pavilion in the Lowcountry
St. Joseph’s/Candler has a team of doctors staffed in Bluffton and Hilton Head five days a week to meet your cancer needs. Click on their names to learn more:
- Dr. Gary Thomas, medical oncologist and Medical Director of South Carolina Cancer Specialists
- Dr. Gregory Haidemenos, medical oncologist
- Dr. John Pablo, radiation oncologist and Medical Director of LCRP Radiation Oncology Center
- Dr. John Mikell, radiation oncologist
- Dr. Philip Villiotte, radiation oncologist
What additional health care providers make up my cancer care team?
“Every cancer case is going to require a team of people,” says Dr Mikell. “At a minimum one doctor, multiple members of support staff – radiation therapists, physicists, dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants and nurse navigators.”
“Many patients with cancer might need radiation and chemotherapy sometimes separately or at the same time. We work hand-in-hand with our colleagues down the hall in medical oncology to make sure care is as seamless, efficient and effective as possible.”
Your oncologists may also work closely with other specialists throughout your cancer treatment, such as pulmonologists and thoracic surgeons, urologists, gastroenterologists, breast surgeons, radiologists and pathologists.
“We are very fortunate to work with such talented professionals here,” Dr. Thomas adds. “St. Joseph’s/Candler has provided us with so many resources that we would not have if we weren’t affiliated with them.”
“We have wonderful radiation oncology here. We have imaging services here with state of the art PET-CT scans. It’s just a blessing to work here, and it’s such a comprehensive community cancer center we have here.”
Meet all the providers who practice with the LCRP
What are some additional St. Joseph’s/Candler services available for patients in Bluffton and Hilton Head?
In addition to our oncologists, we also have dedicated nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants in Bluffton and Hilton Head who work side-by-side with your doctor.
There’s also two dedicated nurse navigators for Bluffton and Hilton Head patients. Nurse navigators serve as patient advocates, guides and lifelines through every step of your cancer journey.
Additionally, there’s a dedicated social worker serving Bluffton and Hilton Head patients. She helps patients, caregivers and even fellow co-workers in need whether that’s with transportation, helping with billing issues or referring a patient to a community service.
Bluffton and Hilton Head patients also can take advantage of a dedicated clinical dietitian on staff. She offers patients nutritional counseling to navigate the challenges of eating, side effects, maintaining weight and other dietary concerns that can arise during cancer treatment.
There’s also a chaplain you will see waking the halls of the Bluffton Campus. Sr. Donna Banfield is the SJ/C regional chaplain there to help you through the spiritual journey of cancer treatment. Whether she’s lending a listening ear or saying a pray with you, Sr. Donna is available.
One service we are particular proud to offer to oncology patients in the Low Country are our clinical trials. We offer several national clinical trials right in Bluffton and Hilton Head so you don’t have drive to Savannah or Atlanta or Jacksonville to get the latest treatment options.
Related Article: Clinical Trials Close to Home: Why you should participate
“Everybody’s case is unique and particularly when you are combining treatments, we make sure the treatment is individualized for that patient as much as possible,” Dr. Mikell says. “Having close, regular communication between your radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and other healthcare providers and support staff is critical to having things run smoothly and safely and maximize outcomes.”
Why we want to keep you close to home in the Low Country
We know a cancer diagnosis is scary and treatment has its ups and downs. Some patients may need radiation therapy five days a week, for six weeks, for example. Chemotherapy can sometimes last a month and also requires routine lab work. If you are on a clinical trial, you may be so for years that requires frequent visits.
That’s why we want to offer you expert treatment, support and services near you.
“People are typically thrilled when they figure out how close our offices are to their home for so many people who live either on the island in Hilton Head or Bluffton,” Dr. Mikell says. “This area is growing all the time. At the same time, we are fairly central here in Bluffton and over in Hilton Head.”
“We don’t want the patients to have the burden of driving a long way for the treatment. Anything we can do to keep them in their own home, close to their environment, that’s what we strive for.”
“It’s not just about having a treatment center, but a treatment center near you that offers comprehensive treatment, multiple specialties so patients can basically have a one-stop shop here.”
Where is the Bluffton Campus located?
The St. Joseph’s/Candler Bluffton Campus is located at 100 Buckwalter Place Blvd., Bluffton, SC 29910.
Where are the LCRP Hilton Head offices located?
The St. Joseph’s/Candler – SC Cancer Specialists office in Hilton Head is located at 45 Hospital Center Commons, Hilton Head, SC 29926.
The St. Joseph’s/Candler Radiation Oncology office is located at 25 Hospital Center Boulevard, Suite 101, Hilton Head, SC 29926.
Contact St. Joseph’s/Candler about South Carolina cancer services
For questions about medical oncology, you can contact us at 843-689-2895 (Hilton Head) or 843-836-7100 (Bluffton).
For questions about radiation oncology, you can contact us at 843-689-6490 (Hilton Head) or 843-836-7120 (Bluffton).
If you have general questions about any LCRP service, please fill out this form and someone will get back in touch with you.