CTCA History

 In the early 1980s, Richard J Stephenson suffered the loss of his mother, Mary Brown Stephenson, to cancer. 

Disappointed by the impersonal and insensitive care his mother received, and frustrated with the lack of collaboration among her clinicians, Richard vowed to change the face of cancer care.

Richard embarked on a mission to recruit a group of outstanding doctors and challenged them to find a way to deliver whole-person cancer treatment in a compassionate, nurturing environment.   In 1988, Cancer Treatment Centers of America^® (CTCA) was born. 

Richard ensured that every CTCA physician, clinician, and staff member focused on one thing: making a difference in the lives of people living with cancer.  In doing this, Richard established the Mother Standard^® of care, in which all CTCA clinicians and staff provide patients with the same warmth, unconditional support and respect we would extend to our own mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and other loved ones.  By keeping this promise, CTCA gives those fighting cancer new options and hope.

Since CTCA was founded, the cancer experts here have been committed to delivering superior cancer treatment.  CTCA combines the most advanced conventional treatments, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, with supportive complementary therapies such as nutrition, spiritual support, mind-body medicine and naturopathic medicine.  This approach helps people living with cancer maintain strength and improve their overall quality of life. 

The CTCA network consists of hospitals in suburban-Chicago, IL; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Goodyear, Arizona and an outpatient clinic in Seattle, Washington.