PEORIA MAGAZINE July 2022

LEADING THE FIGHT: A FAMILY TRADITION “Research is one of the things that helped this practice get started.” - Dr. James Gerstner Illinois CancerCare founding physician For over 40 years, Illinois CancerCare has been bringing hope home to thousands of people of central Illinois. Thanks to the pioneering vision and early leadership of Dr. Stephen A. Cullinan and Dr. James B. Gerstner, Illinois CancerCare, P.C. was among the first cancer treatment practices in the country to take the practice, physicians, and nurses to outlying communities to provide state-of-the-art cancer care to patients in their home communities. Drawing upon a history rich in quality patient care, groundbreaking research, and many important firsts, Illinois CancerCare continues to lead the way in improving the lives of people with cancer. Today, Illinois CancerCare, P.C. (formerly Oncology Hematology Associates) is an award-winning national leader in community cancer care. FOUNDED BY LOCAL EXPERTS In 1977, Dr. Stephen A. Cullinan completed his oncology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic and returned home to central Illinois to begin his medical practice at the Oncology Hematology Associates of Central Illinois located in Methodist Medical Center. Dr. Cullinan quickly instituted an outreach clinic concept initially seeing patients in Pekin, followed by Bloomington and Pontiac the next year. In 1979, James B. Gerstner, another central Illinoisan and Mayo Clinic Fellow in hematology/medical oncology joined the practice. Today, Illinois CancerCare treats patients close to home at 14 clinic locations throughout central and western Illinois.

Dr. Greg Gerstner and his father, Dr. James Gerstner

EVERY CANCER TREATMENT WE HAVE TODAY ORIGINATED AS A CLINICAL TRIAL. Dr. Cullinan was among the pioneers who established a unique research relationship with Mayo Clinic called the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG). The Illinois Oncology Research Association (IORA) was established here and became one of the original NCCTG member institutions that viewed the community as the most appropriate venue to conduct clinical trials to test novel approaches to cancer prevention and treatment and to offer cutting-edge care to a broader spectrum of patients. Until the late ’70s, nearly all cancer research was being done by academic institutions at the major medical center universities. The first Peoria patient was entered into a cancer clinical trial here. LEGACY OF GIVING BACK The Illinois CancerCare Foundation got its start as a way to manage donations from patients and families who wanted to give back and help further the cause in the early days of the practice and continued to grow. Just eight months after the retirement of founding physician Dr. James Gerstner, his son, Dr. Greg Gerstner joined the practice. Dr. Greg Gerstner currently serves as president of the Foundation’s board of directors and was a part of the Illinois CancerCare Foundation playing a much bigger part in patients’ access to clinical research. “Right about the time federal grant money for research began declining, we saw an opportunity to expand the Foundation’s role in helping fund clinical trials,” says Dr. Greg, “It was an ‘a-ha!’ moment for us.” Since 1979, nearly 10,000 patients have participated in more than 1,400 clinical trials at Illinois CancerCare. Both Gerstners say that’s important not just for patients, but also for attracting the best physicians to the area. “The Foundation’s support allows us to keep more than 100 trials open locally at any given time,” Greg says. “Physicians who are trained in major research centers expect that when they’re looking for jobs.”

DIXON

PRINCETON PERU OTTAWA

KEWANEE

EUREKA

PEORIA

GALESBURG

PEKIN

BLOOMINGTON

CANTON

MACOMB

SERVING OUR PATIENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY

Stephen Cullinan, MD Co-Founder

EXPERTS IN CANCER RESEARCH

illinoiscancercare.com I 8940 N Wood Sage Rd, Peoria, IL I 309.243.3000

32 JULY 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE