My name is Sharleen Daugherty, and I have been a resident of Silver City for the past thirteen years. In April of 2015, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. What ultimately ensued was a two-year-plus battle that literally brought me to my knees. It was the Gila Regional Cancer Center'Karen, Mike, Maggie, Shelley, Kelly, Martha, Shay, and many more'that propped me back up.

Imagine my dismay when I read the article that stated the board was considering replacement of the longtime contractor with a new GÇ£World-Class Cancer TreatmentGÇ¥ provider. Why would you replace what you already have? Perhaps you have a different definition of world-class. Maybe the new provider is cheaper. But call it what it is; don't demean the current facility and its staff by claiming you are going to give Silver City something better.

And finally, speaking on behalf of myself and all the men and women who currently or in the past have undergone treatment at the Gila Regional Cancer Center, understand what it is that you are about to replace. Certainly, it is not about equipment; what you have is state-of-the-art. And it can't be the facility; that, too, is comfortable and more than adequate. So, the only things left are the people.

In your quest to replace the staff, you must find a supervisor who takes the time from a busy Saturday to come to a book fair to purchase a signed copy of this author's book. You must find qualified nurses who not only share their own life's dramas but are interested in learning about their patients. You must hire administrators and assistants who know their client's names and take an interest in their lives. And, you must hire doctors and nurse practitioners who understand that cancer treatment involves a lot more than just chemotherapy and radiation.

The care I continue to receive at the Gila Regional Cancer Center is focused on the whole person, not just the malignant tumor that was in my breast. Unlike other hospital visits where a patient is admitted for a time and then released, curing cancer can go on for years. Every day I enter the GRCC for a follow-up test or doctor consult I feel blessed to know I am receiving World-Class treatment.

Respectfully,
Sharleen Daugherty