WHEN WE think about the heart of a community, it’s often the people and places rallying together in times of need, offering support, care, and a sense of belonging. Among those places are Cumberland Radiation Associates and Tullahoma Imaging, pillars of strength in Southern Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama.
Dr. William Bradford, a radiation oncologist, established Cumberland Radiation Associates, formerly Community Cancer Care, in 2000. The center provides radiation treatment and serves seven rural counties, holding the unique distinction of being the only radiation therapy center within this expansive region.
Donna Bradford, Dr. Bradford’s wife and the office manager and marketing director for the centers, said, “With radiation therapy, you must have a certificate of need from the state. Due to our local size, the state will not grant another one in this area.” This rarity showcases their commitment to offering essential services where they’re needed most.
They offer image-guided radiation therapy utilizing the Trilogy system, an intensity-modulated radiation treatment. They offer radiation for adult cancers, excluding thyroid cancer, and treat each patient as unique.
Donna experienced the center’s dedication to providing compassionate care when her father received treatment there before she met and married Dr. Bradford.
“My dad was diagnosed several years ago with mucosal melanoma,” she recalls. “We chose to go to Cumberland Radiation because it was local, and we could be part of his treatment process. Being local made a world of difference.”
Local healthcare in rural communities has been hard to find through the years. The Bradfords stepped up their commitment to local patients by adding imaging services through Tullahoma Imaging. The imaging center houses state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment.
Donna said, “When we started diagnostic mammograms, I wanted to make sure we had ultrasound in the office as well. If a woman gets something negative on her mammogram, she can automatically get an ultrasound that day and not wait as long as the ultrasonographer is in the office. I think it’s very important that a woman doesn’t have to go a couple of weeks wondering what’s going on.”
The services available at both centers are a testament to the power of community-focused healthcare. Their commitment to improving the lives of those they serve, coupled with cutting-edge technology and a compassionate approach, makes them an invaluable asset.
“We have to remember that everybody who walks through our door is either going into the screening diagnostic side of it, and they’re going to get a diagnosis, good or bad. And hopefully, all of them are good, but a lot of times, they’re not. And a lot of those convert into cancer patients with the option of being treated in the office if they choose to do radiation locally.
Not everyone understands they have a voice in where they receive treatment or go for imaging or cancer treatment.
Donna said, “A lot of them don’t know. They don’t understand that we have something very valuable here or near home when gas is almost $4 a gallon, and you’re spending hours on the road for just a short time for your treatment or imaging. Staying local for healthcare keeps our tax dollars in the community and ensures that we receive the same, if not a better, level of care. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Dr. Bradford’s straightforward but compassionate approach to his patients’ care allows them to actively participate in their healthcare decisions.
“He’s very honest with the patients. He does not and will never hide the facts from them because they deserve the right to know what we’re dealing with, how he’s going to treat them, and what the outcome is to expect,” said Donna. “Patients bring their family, and he sits down with every patient on Wednesday and talks to them about how they’re feeling and how far they’ve gone, the progress that’s being made, and any treatment plans that need to be adjusted.”
Their connection to patients is an emotional and rewarding experience.
“When we have a patient that passes, it makes it hard — very, very hard. Some are curable. But every day we see that patient, we have to know they’ve made it one more day, and we’re doing something in their life and buying them time,” she said.
In the heart of Southern Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama, Cumberland Radiation Associates and Tullahoma Imaging shine brightly as a symbol of hope, unity, and unwavering support for those facing cancer and other medical challenges. GN
