The expected summer opening at Conrad Breast Center, located on the third floor of South Meadows' famous specialty hospital, marks a new chapter in breast health and wellness for residents of northern Nevada. courtesy
The expected summer opening at Conrad Breast Center, located on the third floor of South Meadows' famous specialty hospital, marks a new chapter in breast health and wellness for residents of northern Nevada.
The Conrad Breast Center is different from any care center in the community today, says Madeline Hardacre, wellness pharmacist in Health's oncology. This is a one-stop shop for breast health and wellness, reducing the often burdensome requirements of traveling to multiple destinations for doctor visits, diagnostic imaging, chemotherapy treatments, and related breast health and care.
“It's going to be an interdisciplinary, comprehensive breast center,” Hardacre said. “We have almost all of our breast health needs under one roof.”
The Conrad Breast Center features cutting-edge diagnostic imaging equipment such as 3D mammography, breast MRI and breast ultrasound, Hardacre said. There are also breast wellness centres aimed at patients at high genetic risk for developing breasts and other types of cancer.
The well-known breast surgical team transitions from various offices to connected locations, with breast related surgical procedures being performed on the second floor of a well-known specialty hospital.
“You'll have a radiology department looking at the images, and the surgeons are there too,” said Hauskre. “Our surgical suite is located in the same building on the bottom floor. Our medical oncologists provide breast cancer care at the centre, as well as chemotherapy infusions and pharmacy services.
“It was very fragmented, but now it's all under one roof,” she added. “This allows patients to be treated in a more collaborative and comprehensive way, which is better for the community as everything is located in one center.”
Conrad Breast Center was partially made possible in late 2023 with a $5 million grant from Jeanne and Raymond Conrad. In a statement, Jeanne Conrad said the two philanthropists share a vision of fame to establish sophisticated care options for the most difficult cancer cases.
“A famous person sees an individual from every course of life,” she said. “We are all affected by breast cancer in some way, and we are honored to create this legacy.”
Madeline Hardkare
Brian Erling, renowned Health president and chief executive officer, said the organization's mission to provide best-in-class care to Northern Nevadans is further driven by these types of charitable contributions.
“Finishing the Conrad Breast Center within the William N. Pennington Cancer Institute will have a positive impact on the lives of our communities for years to come,” Erling said. “Cancer does not discriminate, and famous people strive to create a care environment that caters to all individuals. Our goal is to save lives and ensure better outcomes while keeping families together with convenient care options.”
Creating a breast cancer center is another step in William N. Pennington Cancer Institute's goal of establishing a cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute in northern Nevada.
“That NCI designation is a very long-term goal,” Hardacre said. “It's not just for clinical care but for research as well as for nationally recognized cancer centres in the country. That's our ultimate goal.”
Breast cancer remains a global problem. Women are diagnosed with breast cancer every 14 seconds, according to the New York City Breast Cancer Research Foundation. In the United States, approximately 320,000 breast cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2025. Upon further drilling, Hardacre is expected to have around 2,700 new cases of roughly 300-500 breast cancer diagnoses in northern Nevada this year.
Certain related services, such as medical tumors and chemotherapy infusion services, are still on the main hospital campus, Hardacre said, but most breast-specific services will be housed in new centres.
Hardacre added that the opening at the Conrad breast center is a strong example of a patient-centered care model.
“It's an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to care,” she said. “We have all our breast cancer teams in one place. Often, patients juggle multiple appointments. It's a great opportunity to provide very patient-focused care to have patients shown up and know that all of their needs are met in that one place.”
