Southern Illinois partners with Litchfield Oncology to expand care

SIU’s School of Medicine has treated cancer patients in Jacksonville since September.
SIU’s School of Medicine has treated cancer patients in Jacksonville since September. | File photo

The Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield’s Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI) has partnered with Litchfield Oncology Institute to expand access to cancer care.

SCI Assistant Professor of Hematology/Oncology Sherjeel Sana will hold clinic hours every Tuesday at the 1201 E. Union Ave. clinic in Litchfield.

“We are now able to provide care closer to home for patients from Litchfield, Hillsboro, Gillespie and the surrounding area,” Sana said. “We are truly thankful to our primary care physician colleagues in the Montgomery County region who had an important role in making this happen.”

SIU’s School of Medicine has treated cancer patients in Jacksonville since September and in Staunton since 2013. The cancer specialists believe in the team approach to cancer care.

“Our team, which includes surgeons, oncologists, radiologists, nurses and social workers, meets to determine the course of treatment for our patients. From the first day that a patient is seen, we work together to determine the best plan of treatment for the patient,” Sana said. “This is what academic excellence in care is all about.”

Sana, who is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, completed a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City.