Baptist Easley opens cancer care unit

EASLEY — Prisma Health celebrated the grand opening of the Larry Winn M.D. Cancer Care Unit on Monday at Baptist Easley Hospital. Officials said the $1.9 million initiative will provide a patient-centered experience that delivers all levels of infusion capability and supportive care while also removing the burden of traveling out of the area for cancer treatment for community members living in Pickens County.

“Prisma Health has a long-standing record of delivering care for hematologic and oncologic diseases and we are proud to now bring expanded offerings for blood and cancer patients to Prisma Health Baptist Easley Hospital,” said Dr. Larry Gluck, medical director for the Prisma Health Cancer Institute. “We have provided cancer and blood disease care to this community for the last 25 years, and now we are moving into state-of-the-art facilities within the hospital, in a space customized for patient comfort. This facility will allow us to provide sophisticated treatment and infusion services, including chemotherapy, entirely on campus. We are pleased to lead the effort to bring awareness of the continued fight against cancer in this growing community.”

The unit, which will open for appointments in late February, was funded through Prisma Health investment and community donations from the Baptist Easley Foundation. The space is named for Dr. Larry Winn, who served as a physician in Easley for more than 40 years, following a generous gift from his wife, Wraellen Winn.

Monday’s event also announced the completion of the capital campaign, thanks to a gift from Richard and Jackie Pressley. The Pressley’s daughter Erin Pressley Armstrong is an Easley resident who recently completed treatment for breast cancer. Armstrong and her husband Stewart are owners of the local coffee company, Ninja Warrior Coffee, and parents to four teenage children. Armstrong was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2021 and received chemotherapy and radiation treatments at Prisma Health campuses in Greenville.

“During the past year, the additional travel time for appointments made an already exhausting process that much more tiring for me and my family. While my treatments are thankfully behind me, I’m very happy this unit will be here for others in our community to have as a resource during their cancer journey,” said Armstrong.

The Winn Cancer Care Unit is 6,700-square-feet and includes a state-of-the-art treatment area, including 12 separate infusion spaces, six examination rooms, office and clinic space and other clinic infrastructure.

In addition to advanced infusion and support services, the Winn Cancer Care Unit will offer patients the opportunity to participate in clinical trials where appropriate, hospital officials said. Clinical trials at the Winn Cancer Care Unit will be conducted by Prisma Health oncology research specialists. For some patients, the Winn Cancer Care Unit will also function as a portal into clinical trials at Prisma Health Cancer Institute in Greenville. Clinical trials to be offered include leading studies of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is the nation’s leader in cancer research.

“This is an exciting moment in the fight against cancer in our community that would not be possible without the support of the Prisma Health Baptist Easley Foundation and our many generous donors,” said Todd Walker, CEO of Baptist Easley Hospital. “We’re especially grateful to the Winn, Pressley and Armstrong families for their investment in this effort. Cancer care in Pickens County will be forever changed through this incredible new unit.”