Upstate Cancer Center

12/21/2025

The holiday spirit is alive at Upstate Cancer Center at Verona! We’ve had a wonderful week filled with festive cheer, including:

🎁 A Special Gift: A wall hanging, donated by Sylvia Johnson, is now brightening our lobby and will be a cherished part of our celebrations for years to come.

⭐ Celebrating Our Rock Stars: Patients are receiving gold star ornaments to remind them of their strength. Some have already hung their stars on our Christmas tree.

🎵 A Musical Surprise: First and fifth graders from JD George delighted patients and staff with a performance of holiday favorites, closing with “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

The center is truly filled with joy, music, and holiday magic!

12/20/2025

The results are in for the 3rd Annual Upstate Cancer Center Gingerbread House Competition, and the winner is Tracey and Amy from Social Work!

Thank you to everyone who participated, voted, and stopped by to admire the gingerbread creations. This competition has become a favorite holiday tradition.

12/19/2025

It’s Festive Friday, and we’re wrapping up Holiday Spirit Week by rocking our favorite wacky and tacky sweaters! Our teams went all out to spread cheer and smiles today. Nothing warms the heart quite like holiday spirit (and a really good ugly sweater)!

12/19/2025

We were delighted to welcome the talented Jamesville-Dewitt Middle School Orchestra yesterday, who visited and shared beautiful holiday tunes. Thank you to the students and their teachers for spreading holiday magic through music. Enjoy this short video from their performance!

12/18/2025

It’s Flannel Thursday! Our Hem/Onc team at Upstate Cancer Center at Verona showed off their cozy style, posing in their favorite flannels to celebrate Holiday Spirit Week. They brought the warmth and the cheer today.

12/18/2025

Quitting smoking or va**ng is hard, but having a plan makes it easier.

In the latest episode of The Informed Patient, Upstate respiratory therapist Jackson Tarr shares expert strategies for leaving to***co and e-ci******es behind for good.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
💊 Why combining medications works better than willpower alone.
💨 The truth about va**ng and long-term lung health.
🤝 How to be a "teammate" (not a supervisor) for a loved one who is quitting.

Take a listen and learn how small steps can lead to healthier lives.

Interview with Jackson Tarr, to***co treatment education coordinator

12/16/2025

Meet Judy. At just 11 years old, she faced a rare cancer with courage beyond her years. Now, she's back to being a kid...playing sports, shining in her school musical, and hanging out with her friends. Judy’s journey is a powerful reminder of hope and resilience. Her story will inspire you.

A pr***en girl faces a rare cancer and finds an outpouring of support

12/15/2025

Holiday Spirit Week is officially underway! Today is Merry Monday, and we kicked things off by rocking our favorite holiday accessories.

Our Verona Hematology/Oncology team is showing off their fun holiday sunglasses, and our concierge team downtown is spreading cheer in festive hats and glasses.

Stay tuned all week for more holiday fun. Thank you to all our staff for bringing the spirit!

12/12/2025

The Cancer Center nurse managers enjoyed a wellness retreat this morning focused on appreciation for all the wonderful attributes they bring to their staff and departments.

The managers decorated doormats and participated in teambuilding exercises. We also celebrated their unique and extraordinary leadership qualities with certificates and trophies! Our group of ten nurse managers is truly the best and deserves every bit of acknowledgement and appreciation today and every day! 💙

12/11/2025

Jagger brought holiday joy to Upstate Cancer Center this afternoon! He made his rounds with tail wags and snuggles, and even posed proudly in front of our Christmas tree.

Thank you, Jagger, for brightening our patients’ day with your sweet spirit.

PAWS of CNY

12/10/2025

We'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Laurie Sutherland, who generously delivered 64 holiday stockings for our patients receiving infusion treatments. Laurie shares, "It’s pretty lonely sitting in that chair, and giving these stockings to the patients sure would put a little sunshine in their day.”

Thank you, Laurie, for bringing comfort and cheer to our patients’ day. 💙