Cocoa Beach, FL (February 17, 2003) -- The Cancer Care program at Cape Canaveral Hospital has again been awarded a prestigious Certificate of Approval from the Commission on Cancer.

Approval by the Commission on Cancer is given only to those facilities that voluntarily commit to providing the best in diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Facilities must undergo a rigorous evaluation and on-site review every three years to maintain a certificate of approval.

???We are very pleased and excited to receive reaccreditation for the cancer program,??? said Jan McCoy, Cape Canaveral Hospital Vice President, Patient Care Services. ???This reaccreditation is a validation of the quality of the services that we offer to our patients and their families.???

Currently, there are approximately 1,500 Commission on Cancer-approved cancer programs in the United States and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of the programs available. More than 80 percent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer are treated in approved facilities.

Patients receiving care at Commission on Cancer-approved cancer programs are ensured access to:

• quality care close to home.
• comprehensive care offering a range of state-of-the-art services and equipment.
• a multi-specialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available.
• information about cancer clinical trials, education and support.
• lifelong patient follow-up through a cancer registry that collects data on types of cancer and treatment results.
• ongoing monitoring and improvement of care.

The Commission on Cancer is composed of Fellows of the American College of Surgeons representing 36 national cancer-related organizations. Cape Canaveral Hospital has been consistently approved by the Commission on Cancer since 1998 and will be certified through 2005.

For more information, contact Lisa Crites, Health First media relations specialist, at (321) 434-4364.