ONLY ON NEWSCHANNEL 8

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. - Inova Loudoun Hospital has unveiled a new addition to its patient care services - an eight bed oncology unit.

When the pediatric unit moved to the hospital's west wing in 2008, Inova Loudon started working on a new cancer treatment facility. The unit was renovated solely through donations and designed with the input of patients and family.

"We did evidenced-based practice about picking the colors. We wanted to bring a little bit of home with them and take away the sterility of the environment," said Brenda Callihan, unit's management coordinator.

Creating the home away from home feeling required several other amenities. Each room contains sleeper chairs for family members, flat screen televisions and hand-made paintings donated by part-time staff.

Callihan pulled in one other unique feature. "There's a special mattress that across the country is generally only found in the intensive care units. It's a pressure relief mattress that can be adjusted to the weight of each patient."

The oncology unit also includes a living room to give family and visitors a little comfort of their own. Even though the project took less than a year, doctors say it's been a long time in the making.

"Gradually expanding for the past thirty years, so there's a lot of milestones along the way, but this is very, very special," said Dr. Elisabeth Simms.

The oncology unit is open to those outside of the hospital as well, with rooms reserved for those critically in need of services. The patients are set to move into their new rooms on Monday.

 Email To Friend