Jim Fagin was an aide for U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson when in 2009 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer — one of the most lethal forms of cancer.
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Jim Fagin told the City Council Tuesday how the medical center saved his life. |
The best treatment close to home
In 2010, Fagin underwent a cutting edge “Whipple Procedure” to remove the cancer and save his life.
“I guess I found the Mayo Clinic right here in Omaha,” said Fagin, who in March will celebrate the third anniversary of his life-saving surgery.
An important project
At a public hearing on Tuesday, Fagin expressed his support of two proposed Omaha city ordinances that would provide $35 million to construct a cancer center campus at UNMC.
One ordinance would provide $3.5 million for each of the next 10 years to the project. The other ordinance would implement an occupation tax on retailers who sell tobacco products to provide the needed funds.
The cancer center project will ensure that patients won’t have to leave Nebraska to receive the best care for cancer, Fagin said.
Easier on patients
Maggie Lehning — a cancer survivor who was treated at UNMC — also spoke in favor of the ordinances.
The treatment she received at UNMC was excellent, she said, but the need to traverse the medical center campus to visit various specialists was a significant burden.
“With the new cancer center, cancer patients will receive all aspects of their cancer care in one area on the campus,” Lehning said. “Navigating the UNMC campus can be a daunting task, especially for those already in the position of receiving a cancer diagnosis, which is both frightening and stressful to say the least.”
Vote coming soon
The council will vote Tuesday on the ordinances.
The comprehensive cancer center project is predicted to:
- Provide nearly 4,800 jobs during construction;
- Add 1,200 jobs at the medical center – each with an average salary of approximately $70,000;
- Create an additional 3,457 ongoing jobs throughout the Omaha metro area; and
- Infuse $537 million annually into the city and state economy.
Project support
Employees who wish to ask city council members to support the project must do so on their own time and not use university resources (computers, telephones, letterhead or university accounts) to do so.