SKIP NAVIGATION
MyChart Search
Wellstar Go Back
MyChart
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Medical Services
    Popular Services
    • Emergency Care
    • Urgent Care
    • Virtual Care
    • Primary Care
    • Women's Health
    • Pediatric Care
    • Cancer Care
    • Heart Care
    • Neuro Care
    • Orthopedics
    • View All Medical Services
    Expanded Services
    • Lab Services
    • Imaging
    • ENT
    • Pulmonary
    • Gastroenterology
    • Urology
    • Physical Therapy
    • Behavioral Health
    • Pharmacies
    • View All Medical Services
    For Providers
    • Refer a Patient
    • Transfer a Patient
    • Physician Relations
    • Wellstar Clinical Partners
    • Provider Resources
  • Patient Resources
    Patient Portal
    • MyChart Login
    • Sign-Up for MyChart
    • Get Medical Records
    Visiting
    • Visitation Guidelines
    • Patient Guides
    • Find My Way
    Billing & Insurance
    • Accepted Insurance
    • Pay Your Bill
    • Financial Assistance
  • Wellstar for You
    Community
    • Classes and Events
    • Center for Health Equity
    • Support Groups
    • Community Outreach
    • Wellstar Find Help
    • Translation Services
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    Health Content
    • Articles
    • PeopleCare
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Medical Services
  • Patient Resources
  • Wellstar for You

Popular Services

Emergency Care Urgent Care Virtual Care Primary Care Women's Health
Pediatric Care Cancer Care Heart Care Neuro Care Orthopedics

Expanded Services

Lab Services Imaging ENT Pulmonary Gastroenterology
Urology Physical Therapy Behavioral Health Pharmacies View All Medical Services

For Providers

Refer a Patient Transfer a Patient Physician Relations Wellstar Clinical Partners Provider Resources

Patient Portal

MyChart Login Sign-Up for MyChart Get Medical Records

Visiting

Visitation Guidelines Patient Guides Find My Way

Billing & Insurance

Accepted Insurance Pay Your Bill Financial Assistance

Community

Classes and Events Center for Health Equity Support Groups Community Outreach
Wellstar Find Help Translation Services Volunteer Opportunities

Health Content

Articles PeopleCare
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Cancer Treatment Leader
Article Category: Newsroom

Wellstar Recognized as Cancer Treatment Leader

Published on October 12, 2020

Last updated 02:04 PM October 16, 2020

Wellstar Kennestone Hospital at sunset.

Wellstar Cancer Care Receives National Recognition with Outstanding Achievement Award, Designated as Care Continuum Center of Excellence for Lung Cancer

Wellstar Health System, one of Georgia’s largest and most integrated healthcare systems, announced that the Wellstar Cancer Network was recently recognized nationally as a cancer treatment leader. Honored with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and designated as a Care Continuum Center of Excellence by the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer, the Wellstar Cancer Network continues to pioneer innovative cancer treatments and technologies to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.

“Wellstar Health System is dedicated to providing patients with the highest quality of compassionate and personalized care,” said Dr. Michael Andrews, Chief Cancer Officer of the Wellstar Cancer Network. “We are extremely proud of the Wellstar Cancer Network and our team of highly skilled physicians, nurses and oncology support services who excel at treating the spectrum of cancer illnesses with the most advanced, patient-centric technologies and treatments. We are focused on enhancing the health and well-being of everyone we serve, with a commitment to delivering world-class cancer care.”

Wellstar earned an Outstanding Achievement Award for the third consecutive cycle from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC). The highest honor in the United States awarded to a cancer program, the Wellstar Cancer Network was recognized for achieving excellence in providing care to cancer patients. Award recipients must have received commendation ratings in all seven commendation standards and receive a compliance rating for each of the 27 remaining cancer program standards.

The purpose of the award is to raise the bar on quality cancer care, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about quality care choices among cancer patients and their loved ones. In addition, the award is intended to:

  • Recognize those cancer programs that achieve excellence in providing quality care to cancer patients.
  • Motivate other cancer programs to work toward improving their level of care.
  • Facilitate dialogue between award recipients and health care professionals at other cancer facilities for the purpose of sharing best practices.
  • Encourage honorees to serve as quality care resources to other cancer programs.

“More and more, we’re finding that patients and their families want to know how the health care institutions in their communities compare with one another,” said Lawrence N. Shulman, MD, MACP, chair of the CoC. “They want access to information in terms of who’s providing the best quality of care, and they want to know about overall patient outcomes. Through this recognition program, I’d like to think we’re playing a small but vital role in helping them make informed decisions on their cancer care.”

Wellstar was also recognized by the Care Continuum Centers of Excellence (CCCOE), a program of the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer which identifies community hospitals that meet rigorous qualifying criteria and demonstrate collaborative leadership across the lung cancer care continuum. GO2 Foundation formed the Care Continuum Centers of Excellence program to enable patient access to standard of care lung cancer screening, early detection, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship in their local community. Meeting the CCCOE criteria puts member hospitals on par with leading academic and research institutions and provides patients with access to the latest innovations not typically found in community hospitals. The CCCOE program promotes a standard of compassionate and timely care excellence with, as well as treatment options that improve survivorship.

“We are proud and honored to be working with Wellstar Health System as a GO2 Foundation Care Continuum Center of Excellence. Their commitment will help save lives and improve long-term survivorship by giving patients access to high-quality, multidisciplinary care closer to home. They are the example to follow,” says Laurie Fenton Ambrose, co-founder, president and CEO of GO2 Foundation.

Tags

Cancer Care Media Room
Related Articles
David Butler and his daughter stand triumphantly at Preacher's Rock, the summit of Blood Mountain in North Georgia. The vista of the Blue Ridge Mountains spans the horizon behind them.

PeopleCare

Wellstar PeopleCare | Reaching New Heights After Head & Neck Cancer

David Butler's cancer journey took him through a rare jaw reconstruction, multiple rounds of radiation treatment, chemotherapy, intense rehabilitation and coordinated care from specialists across Wellstar.

From survival to summit

After David did the hard work of fighting cancer twice and feeling like recovery was truly sailing along, he set a new goal. David and one of his daughters, Madeline Hawkins, completed a hiking and camping trip that included summiting Blood Mountain in North Georgia. They covered 14 miles, camping overnight and making friends along the trail.

Fully loaded with walking sticks, packs on their backs and huge smiles, David and his daughter head out for a multiple day hiking excursion.

The hike wasn't easy.

“I forgot you have to be half mountain goat!” he quipped.

David moved at his own pace and pushed through lingering fatigue. Reaching the summit’s stunning vista at Preacher’s Rock was a reminder of how far he had come since his cancer diagnosis.

Keep reading
Male and female head and neck cancer specialists stand together looking at a chart and discussing the best treatment for a complex case of head and neck cancer.

PeopleCare

Wellstar PeopleCare | Beating Cancer Twice with Coordinated Care

David Butler’s cancer journey began when he underwent treatment for an aggressive head and neck cancer. Supported by his family, faith and a team of head and neck cancer specialists, he had part of his jaw removed and went through radiation therapy and intense rehabilitation.

A major setback

The same year of his jaw surgery and initial radiation course, David’s recovery was beginning to feel like “smooth sailing.” Just as life started to feel manageable again, he faced an unexpected challenge.

David and his wife, Jill, got devastating news: routine follow-up imaging revealed three new tumors on the other side of his neck and tongue. Dr. Fiyin Sokoya, David’s cancer surgeon, removed lymph nodes from David’s neck, had them biopsied and confirmed that it was an aggressive cancer.

At first, David felt so discouraged that he didn’t want to move forward with treatment.

However, seeing that a group of experts were working together to give him the best, evidence-based treatment path for his unique circumstance gave him confidence to renew his fight against cancer.

Keep reading
David Butler stands, smiling, with Dr. Fiyin Sokoya, a dual board-certified head and neck cancer specialist and facial plastic surgeon at Wellstar.

PeopleCare

Wellstar PeopleCare | Moving Fast, Working Together: Advanced Head & Neck Cancer Surgery Keeps David Smiling

David Butler's cancer journey took him through a rare jaw reconstruction, radiation and coordinated care from specialists across Wellstar. His care team collaborated to provide what he needed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

A bothersome mouth sore

Lean and energetic, David is quick with a joke and even quicker with a smile. A neatly trimmed mustache frames a grin that lights up his blue eyes, illuminating his trademark optimism and humor. They’re qualities he kept intact throughout cancer treatment and draws on today, when he encourages people who are newly diagnosed with cancer.

It started with a sore on his gum in the fall of 2023. He assumed it would heal on its own. Instead, it got worse. When he could hardly swallow a few months later, his dentist referred him to an oral surgeon for a biopsy. That’s when he got the life-changing news: it was cancer.

“You hear the big C and it scares you to death,” David said. “But there's light at the end of the tunnel. There's always hope.”

What followed was cancer treatment involving surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and support from a whole team of cancer specialists. Along the way, David said he leaned on his faith, the support of his wife, Jill, who he credits as his biggest advocate—and the expertise of Wellstar caregivers.


David Butler grins standing next to his wife Jill, who he credits as his biggest advocate throughout treatment.
Keep reading

COMMUNITY CARE

Community Care
In the Community Health Highlights Events & Classes
For Business
Corporate Purchasing Community Health Needs Assesment
Give
Wellstar Foundation Donate Ways to Give Volunteer

ABOUT US

About Wellstar Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging Leadership Wellstar Board of Trustees Healthcare Innovation Safety First Commitment Wellstar Research Institute Latest News

CAREERS & EDUCATION

Careers at Wellstar Graduate Medical Education Pharmacy Residency

PATIENT RESOURCES

Pay Your Bill Accepted Insurance

HELP

Contact Us Hospital Transparency Information Price Transparency Policy and Privacy Information

MEDIA

Media Room

COMMUNITY CARE

Community Care
In the Community Health Highlights Events & Classes
For Business
Corporate Purchasing Community Health Needs Assesment
Give
Wellstar Foundation Donate Ways to Give Volunteer

ABOUT US

About Wellstar Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging Leadership Wellstar Board of Trustees Healthcare Innovation Safety First Commitment Wellstar Research Institute Latest News

CAREERS & EDUCATION

Careers at Wellstar Graduate Medical Education Pharmacy Residency

PATIENT RESOURCES

Pay Your Bill Accepted Insurance

HELP

Contact Us Hospital Transparency Information Price Transparency Policy and Privacy Information

MEDIA

Media Room

COMMUNITY CARE

Community Care
In the Community Health Highlights Events & Classes
For Business
Corporate Purchasing Community Health Needs Assesment
Give
Wellstar Foundation Donate Ways to Give Volunteer

ABOUT US

About Wellstar Diversity Equity Inclusion & Belonging Leadership Wellstar Board of Trustees Healthcare Innovation Safety First Commitment Wellstar Research Institute Latest News

CAREERS & EDUCATION

Careers at Wellstar Graduate Medical Education Pharmacy Residency

PATIENT RESOURCES

Pay Your Bill Accepted Insurance

HELP

Contact Us Hospital Transparency Information Price Transparency Policy and Privacy Information

MEDIA

Media Room

Copyright © 2026 Wellstar Health System. All Rights Reserved.

Wellstar does not discriminate on, exclude people or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression or any other type of discrimination prohibited by law.

  • Internet Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences

We use cookies for booking and general analytics. Learn more about or internet privacy policy.