For their expertise, experience, and credentials, the medical staffs at Saint Mary's Hospital and Waterbury Hospital have long been among the country's leaders in cancer care. To continue offering the benefits of the best possible care to the community, though, community leaders, hospital board members, physicians and administrators realized that their facilities, as well as the technology within them, would have to match the excellence of their staff.

In 1995, after both hospitals identified the need to replace aging equipment in radiation oncology, a cancer center steering committee came together to address the issue of updating the area hospitals' cancer care technology. An in-depth study conducted that year concluded that in addition to both Saint Mary's and Waterbury Hospital needing to replace outdated equipment, both hospitals would need to undertake extensive renovations in their physical plants to make their departments more accessible to patients and more efficient for staff. It was agreed upon that the best solution was for the two hospitals to join forces, invest in new equipment, and build a new off-site, state-of-the-art facility.

Extraordinary Partnership

The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center accomplishes many goals for the community. The project merged two hospitals' outpatient radiation oncology departments, upgraded equipment, enhanced technology and services, and relocated our local medical oncology private practices into The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center. All of these activities create a world-class, comprehensive cancer center in order to provide coordinated and enhanced services to cancer patients and families of greater Waterbury. In addition, the American Cancer Society has located a Patient Resource Office in The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center. All of these commitments demonstrate the extraordinary partnering that has occurred with the singular goal of serving cancer patients and their families. Thank You With the opening of The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, it is imperative to acknowledge the vision, talents, energy, and financial generosity of community leaders, hospital administrators and employees of both Saint Mary's Hospital and Waterbury Hospital, physicians, and citizens of greater Waterbury. All worked in concert and contributed in diverse ways to make The Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center a reality. As of the beginning of 2003, the Capital Campaign raised $13.5 million dollars towards this $16.2 million dollar project. This is a phenomenal accomplishment given these challenging economic times. Thank you for your overwhelming generosity!