Children with cancer need proton center

I am from Northwest Indiana and have a son with a brain tumor. I hope that a proton beam radiation center run by Central DuPage Hospital is approved.

Proton therapy is less damaging to young children with brain tumors. It is a shame that anyone would try to stop this from happening in the Midwest. If this group is ready to start building this facility, we should all stand behind them. There are many children in the Midwest who could benefit from this therapy.

We sought out proton beam radiation for our son in Boston and California but were denied. My son eventually had radiation at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis. He is alive and doing well but has many learning difficulties. I feel like the damage would have been reduced if he had received protons. I have spoken to many of our finest pediatric radiation oncologists in the country about protons and they agree that protons would in many cases significantly reduce damage to healthy brain tissue in children.

I hope those who oppose this project won't ever have a child with a life-threatening condition, but if you do, I can assure you that you will want the very best treatment for your child.

This issue should not be about money or local politics but about bringing state of the art radiation therapy to the Midwest as quickly as possible.

Lisa Moore

LaPorte, Ind.