As the Jack and Laura Dangermond Center for Radiation Therapy opens in Redlands, a cancer survivor's experience highlights why access to treatment close to home matters.
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As the Jack and Laura Dangermond Center for Radiation Therapy opens in Redlands, a cancer survivor's experience highlights why access to treatment close to home matters.
At 30 years old, Evalyn Velazquez knew something was wrong.
The Riverside mother of four felt an unusual lump in her breast. With a family history of breast cancer, she trusted her instincts and sought care right away.
The diagnosis was stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer, a rare and aggressive form of the disease. For Velazquez, who worked as a back office medical assistant and phlebotomist at Redlands Community Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care, the diagnosis changed her relationship to the place where she had spent her days helping others.
Suddenly, she was the patient.
Within a week of her diagnosis, Velazquez was connected with a surgeon. Two weeks later, she began chemotherapy. Despite the gravity of the diagnosis, Evalyn says she never felt alone with the support of her trusted colleagues who also became her caregivers.
“During the whole process, I felt comfortable and safe,” Velazquez said. “I trusted my team and that took a lot of the fear away.”
She continued working through much of her treatment while her care team helped manage side effects so she could maintain a sense of normalcy for herself, her husband and their daughters.
Her last chemotherapy treatment was in August 2025. She completed her final round of radiation in April 2026 and will continue immunotherapy through the first part of 2027.
Velazquez’s experience reflects the reality facing thousands of Inland Empire families each year. More than 8,600 San Bernardino County residents are diagnosed with cancer annually, and treatment can involve months of appointments, tests, procedures and recovery.
Redlands Community Hospital has expanded access to that care locally with the opening of the Jack and Laura Dangermond Center for Radiation Therapy, a new facility designed to provide advanced cancer treatment closer to home.
The 7,364-square-foot center, located at 247 Terracina Blvd. across from the main hospital, is the newest addition to Redlands Community Hospital’s Center for Cancer Care. The facility includes a new innovative Linear Accelerator, a machine used to deliver high-energy X-rays to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. The center also includes dedicated space for a new PET/CT scanner.
“The opening of the new Jack and Laura Dangermond Center for Radiation Therapy marks a historic milestone for Redlands Community Hospital and the future of cancer care in our region,” said Adam Thunell, president and CEO of Redlands Community Hospital. “Cancer treatment can be demanding and we’re proud to offer high-quality, compassionate services that are close to home when our patients and their caregivers need it the most.”
The new radiation therapy center builds on the hospital's existing Center for Cancer Care, which combines advanced treatment with support services designed to help patients and families navigate the challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer care often involves more than medical appointments. Patients may need help coordinating treatment, managing side effects, understanding their options and accessing resources during recovery.
At Redlands Community Hospital, patients are supported by a multidisciplinary team that includes medical, radiation and surgical oncologists, nurses, radiologists, pathologists, rehabilitation specialists, social workers, dietitians and financial counselors.
The hospital offers chemotherapy, infusion services, genetic counseling and rehabilitation programs, along with newer treatment options such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Physicians also meet regularly through tumor board conferences to review cases and develop individualized treatment plans.
Patients and families are further supported by a nurse navigator who helps coordinate appointments, tests and procedures, connects patients with resources and serves as a guide throughout the cancer journey.
With the opening of the Center for Radiation Therapy, patients now have access to some of the latest innovations and technologies in cancer radiation treatments.
“As demand for cancer care in the region grows, we are grateful to our generous donors for their gifts that helped us build this facility that will make an impact in Redlands and all of our surrounding communities for generations to come,” said Bengt Gustavsson, president of the Redlands Community Hospital Foundation.
The new radiation therapy center was funded through philanthropic donations from Esri, the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, Stater Bros. Charities, Inland Women Fighting Cancer through the Believe Walk, and individual donors.
For Velazquez, cancer care became deeply personal. She credits her survival to her doctor and nurses who provided compassionate and deeply personal care, along with the love of her daughters and the encouragement of her husband who carried her through those tough times.
After experiencing cancer treatment as a patient, Evalyn realized that care that’s delivered with compassion and a personalized touch provides hope and plays an important role in survivorship.
The experience has reshaped her both personally and professionally. As a caregiver, she now brings deeper empathy to every patient interaction, which has brought an understanding forged not just through training, but through her own lived cancer journey.
Now, as Redlands Community Hospital expands its cancer services, hospital leaders say the goal is to help more patients receive that kind of care close to the people and community that support them.
This article is sponsored by Redlands Community Hospital.
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