By Marty Trieschmann

Arkansas’ first and only proton radiation center has treated 100 patients since opening in September 2023. To commemorate the milestone, Carson Placker, 7, of Mountain Home, and Bob Sanders, 71, of Conway, rang the end of treatment bell together June 14, surrounded by their physicians and family.

Though 64 years apart in age, the two shared a touching moment when they joined hands and rang the end of treatment bell together.

“Carson is such an inspiration,” said Sanders. “I watch him run into the proton treatment room with no fear, and then he comes out singing. He’s definitely been a bright spot in this experience, and the team here is exceptional.”

Proton Center of Arkansas Marks 100th Patient Milestone

PROTON PALS: Carson Placker, 7, and Bob Sanders, 71, are the 100th patients to receive proton therapy in Arkansas to treat life threatening tumors. ***Image by Bryan Clifton***

By Nathan Tidwell

Researchers and physicians with the Myeloma Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) recently published their 1,000th article, an impressive milestone that demonstrates the center’s high level of scholarship.

“This is a remarkable achievement by our amazing Myeloma Center physicians and researchers,” said Frits van Rhee, M.D., Ph.D., clinical director of the Myeloma Center, part of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute.

Sandy Mattox, MNSc, RN, who tracks publications for the Myeloma Center, notes that No. 1,000 was a paper published in the July 11, 2023, issue of Blood Advances titled “Risk of infections associated with the use of bispecific antibodies in multiple myeloma: a pooled analysis.” It was co-authored by van Rhee and UAMS physicians and researchers Samer Al Hadidi, M.D.; Carolina Schinke, M.D.; John Shaughnessy Jr., Ph.D.; Sharmila Thanendrarajan, M.D.; Mauricio Zangari M.D.; and Fenghuang (Frank) Zahn, M.D., Ph.D.

UAMS Myeloma Center Hits Impressive Milestone, Sees 1000th Article Published