Local, Accessible Resources — from cancer technology not available elsewhere in New England, to regional health centers and outpatient care centers, Backus Hospital is committed to keeping vital resources accessible.

Patient's Voice

Having a Wound Care Center and Cancer Center in the community I live in has been very beneficial to me. Instead of driving from my home in Taftville 2-3 hours to larger medical centers, I was able to access the healthcare services that I needed in my own backyard.

I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in December. After an emergency biopsy, I received radiation therapy treatment, which put my cancer in remission but killed some healthy cells. I ended up with a wound that would not heal.

Dr.Kandhasamy Jagathambal (everyone calls her Dr. Jaga), whom I have nothing but praise for, set me up with an appointment with Dr. Sergio Casillas of the Wound Care Center. He told me that I was lucky that I came in when I did because my wound, which I couldn't see very well, had progressed to the point of gangrene.

He took care of me with cream and bandages, which had to be changed every day, for a week or two. Then he told me I was a candidate for the V.A.C. system, a special woundcare treatment that involves a negative pressure pump system. This certainly sped up the healing process — within a week,my wound that was about the size of a half dollar and two or three inches deep had shrunk a great deal.

Having all of these services available to me, close to home, has been very important. When my wound was at its worst, I was in the Wound Care Center and Dr.Casillas' office twice per week to have it examined and cleaned.

I recently got the good news — Dr.Casillas handed me a box of Band-Aids and said that is all I would need.

I am convinced that locally accessible resources, and some wonderful personalized care from people such as my primary care physician,Dr.Terry Baksh, are the reasons for my improvement.