Inova Schar Cancer Institute Announces Plans to Open Cancer Screening and Prevention Center

Falls Church, VA – Inova Health System and its Inova Schar Cancer Institute today announced plans to open a new cancer screening and prevention center on the campus of the Inova Center for Personalized Health. The new 24,000 square-foot center, slated to open in 2022, is being made possible by the generous donation of $20 million from Paul and Linda Saville.

“We’ve all been impacted by cancer, and many of us know someone who has died from cancer due to a late diagnosis,” said Paul Saville.  “We hope that many more people will have access to early detection and treatment and avoid serious disease.  Linda and I are humbled to have the opportunity to partner with Inova Schar to help bring these vital cancer prevention services to our community.”

“I truly could not be prouder about the work that Inova Schar Cancer Institute is doing to provide world-class care for those impacted by cancer,” said J. Stephen Jones, MD, President and CEO of Inova Health System. “The Savilles’ commitment to help us create a state of the art early detection and prevention center is bringing us a giant step closer to becoming the leading cancer institute in our region. Once again, I have the honor to witness the power of philanthropy to advance healthcare for our community, and I am so grateful to Paul and Linda for their partnership and significant investment in the lives of those we have the privilege to serve.” 

Currently, the Washington, DC area, including Northern Virginia, is lacking a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, organized cancer screening and prevention program. The new center will provide access to these critical, life-saving services for cancers including:

• Prostate and Bladder
• Pancreatic and Colorectal
• Breast
• Lung
• Head and Neck
• Cervical, Uterine, and Ovarian
• Melanoma and Skin Cancers
• Familial / Genetic risks (BRCA, etc.)

Cancer is the number one killer in America, surpassing cardiovascular disease as of 2020. More than 40 percent of cancer cases in the U.S. are attributed to preventable risk factors. While most people know that early detection saves lives, not everyone knows where to start.

“By providing members of our community accessible, multidisciplinary screening and prevention services in a ‘one-stop-shop’ approach, we hope to cure more cancers by catching them early,” said John Deeken, MD, President of Inova Schar Cancer Institute.  “And through programs such as smoking cessation, as well as dietary and exercise interventions, we hope to prevent more and more cancers in the years ahead.”

The center will be the first of its kind in Northern Virginia, and will utilize a variety of preventative resources to help inform and educate patients who may be at high risk for developing cancer. These resources include education on nutrition, exercise, genetic testing, and opportunities for clinical trials.

With a network of locations across Northern Virginia, Inova Schar offers the best of both academic medical centers and community-oriented health systems: a commitment to every patient’s well-being, physician experts treating patients through a team-based, multi-disciplinary approach, backed by leading-edge research and the newest advancements in cancer treatment.

Media Contact: Tracy Connell, tracy.connell@inova.org, 703-289-2087

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About Inova                         
Inova is Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider, recognized in 2019 and 2020 by U.S. News & World Report, which named Inova Fairfax Hospital the #1 hospital in the Washington, DC region. All five Inova hospitals were awarded ‘A’ grades for the spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, recognizing Inova’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare. Each of Inova’s five hospitals holds a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), distinguishing Inova as the highest-rated large health system in the U.S., and the only system to have all hospitals receive five stars. Inova Fairfax Medical Campus was named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, ranking in the top 10 nationwide among Major Teaching Hospitals. Our mission is to provide world-class healthcare – every time, every touch – to each person in every community we have the privilege to serve. Inova’s 18,000 team members serve more than 2 million individuals annually through an integrated network of hospitals, primary and specialty care practices, emergency and urgent care centers, outpatient services and destination institutes. Inova is home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 Trauma Center and Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Its hospitals have a total of 1,936 licensed beds. More information and statistics about Inova can be found at www.inova.org.