Making Proton Therapy More Accessible: The Logistics & Heart Of Building Proton Therapy Centers with Hadley Ford

With a background in investment banking, Hadley Ford had never heard of proton therapy prior to meeting nuclear physicist Dr. John Cameron. Dr. Cameron was a true pioneer in making proton therapy more accessible to the United States as a groundbreaking cancer treatment. Hadley and Dr. Cameron joined forces, making their commitment and company official over breakfast with a napkin with one primary goal: to make proton therapy accessible for children.On this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, Hadley Ford shares how he and Dr. Cameron partnered to create ProCure, a trailblazer in cancer treatment providers. ProCure would go on to oversee the building of four proton therapy centers across the United States, including our very own Oklahoma Proton Center! Hadley reflects on partnering with Aubrey McClendon and the process of building the first ProCure center in Oklahoma City and the aggressive timeline and budget set for the project of 24 months and 100 million dollars. This accomplishment was unheard of at the time of completion in September 2009. As Hadley reflects, he recalls walking the plot of land for the first time and the overwhelming emotions he felt as the hard work and plans began to come to fruition. Many of the traditions created by ProCure and the board of directors are still implemented at the Oklahoma Proton Center today, such as the patient graduation luncheon. In an emotional moment, Hadley recollects a pediatric patient who was told by doctors in her home country of Holland that the tumor wrapped around her spine would mean she would never walk again after treatment. With a smile she took her graduation challenge coin and skipped back over to her mother, silencing Hadley and overwhelming him with gratitude for the opportunity to help bring Dr. Cameron’s vision to life.Join us in this week's episode as we learn about the rigorous logistical planning, capital demands, and passion for the project required to build a proton therapy center.Episode Resources:Oklahoma Proton Centerhttps://www.okcproton.com/https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenterThe Cancer Project Podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/the_cancerprojecthttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy