While he was still working in construction a decade ago, Clarence Daniel helped to clear the fields for a new building on the VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) medical campus. Little did he know he would be needing services from that building years later.

 
Construction photo from ten years ago.

“If I had to drive to Richmond for treatment, I would have given up,” Clarence said.

Clarence was diagnosed with lung cancer in March of 2022. As part of his treatment, Clarence was sent to CMH Cancer and Specialty Care in South Hill for chemotherapy and radiation. There, patients receive immunotherapy at the Hendrick Cancer and Rehab Center and radiation therapy at the Solari Radiation Therapy Center next door.

The Solari Radiation Therapy Center received the equipment to provide radiation.

“Thanks to the Solari family, I was able to get treatment four minutes from my house and am now in stable condition,” Clarence said. 

He got his chance to thank the Solari family a few weeks ago. His wife, Ann, volunteers at one of South Hill’s thrift stores and Clarence happened to be there when Bill and Sylvia Solari came in to shop.

“By God’s grace we got to meet and speak with them,” Ann said. “God put it on their hearts those 10 years ago to bring radiation therapy to South Hill and we are so thankful they were obedient.”

Making a difference

Having lost parents on both sides to cancer, the Solaris were interested in helping bring radiation services to South Hill. The administrative teams were in talks with VCU Massey Cancer Center to provide the equipment and physicians if Community Memorial Hospital would supply the building and staff. The Solaris donated $1 million to help make this possible.

The ground breaking ceremony from July 2, 2012.

“We regularly get comments from people thanking us for bringing radiation therapy to South Hill,” Bill Solari said. “All those people make you realize you made a difference, and that was what we set out to do.” 

Not only do they continue to contribute to the CMH Foundation, but Bill Solari serves as the chair on the Foundation board and Sylvia Solari serves as a CMH Auxiliary volunteer in the emergency room, which they also helped fund. 

“We see results here locally,” he said. “You can give to big cancer organizations, but you see where you make a difference by donating and keeping the funds in the community.”

The ribbon cutting ceremony from August 14, 2013.

Evolution of staff and technology

Vice President of Patient Care Services Mary Hardin, served as the director of oncology for 20 years and was in charge when the center opened in July 2013. She remembers how oncologists would adapt the course of treatments for patients depending on the distance they had to travel to Richmond, Petersburg or Henderson, North Carolina, for radiation. When Massey Cancer Center and CMH filed a certificate of public need, they received approval to bring equipment to South Hill to begin radiation treatments. 

“I was honored to lead and experience the hiring of staff coming from all over the country to start this venture,” Hardin said. “It was a big deal.”

Solari Radiation Therapy Center

Three staff members are still with the Solari Radiation Therapy Center after ten years: radiation therapist Allison Hite, receptionist Becky Daniel and physicist Melodee Wolfe, MP, DABR. There are several important milestones over the years, Wolfe says, that have improved patient access to care and treatment.

In 2014, CMH affiliated with VCU Health, further solidifying the relationship with Massey. This affiliation allows patients access to more specialties.

“By being affiliated with VCU Health, we have the resources to be cutting edge and stay technologically relevant, but we are small enough to be able to adapt to our patients’ individual needs and give the little extras that mean so much when they need it most.  Being able to spend a little more time when things are not going well or being flexible with their schedule when things come up can mean a lot,” Wolfe said.

The following year, in 2015, the oncology department needed a $180,000 software solution to reduce the time it took for patients to receive their radiation treatment. The Solaris funded this purchase as well, reducing the 45-minute treatment to about 10 minutes. 

Massey received the highest recognition from the National Cancer Institute in June 2023, becoming a designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.  This designation reflects Massey team members’ scientific leadership, depth and breadth of research, effective community outreach and cancer research training and education. CMH has the highest accrual of clinical trials in a rural area for Massey and helped them meet this requirement for comprehensive status.

A cancer diagnosis is not something anyone wants to hear. But having facilities in a rural area that perform surgery, chemotherapy and radiation when you need it is rare.

“It’s something we hope we never have to use, but we are glad it’s there if we need it,” Solari said.

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