At ROS, we recognize that the word cancer has different meanings depending on one's perspective. For the newly diagnosed patient, cancer initially evokes fear — the fear of the unknown, the fear of losing control, the fear of pain and ultimately the fear of confronting one's own mortality. Our physicians, nurses and broad support staff make every effort to understand what cancer really means to each individual patient and family. It is our philosophy to ease a patient's fear through education, a strong commitment to pain management and emotional as well as spiritual support. All patients are encouraged to be direct participants in their treatment-related decisions, thus promoting a sense of control. We strive to deliver quality cancer care at all levels throughout a patient's ROS experience. In addition, we provide compassionate care in an environment that respects and maintains a patient's dignity at all times. It is through the efforts of many that the fear associated with cancer can be replaced with understanding, acceptance and hope. Cancer patients from the state of Georgia can take comfort in knowing they do not have to leave the state to receive quality radiation therapy. In fact, with treatment facilities in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area, approximately 2,000 new cancer patients per year receive treatment at an ROS center. In medicine today, technology changes quickly. The rapid technological advances in radiation oncology are both exciting and challenging. ROS maintains its commitment to the cutting edge by providing its facilities with state-of-the-art linear accelerators and computerized treatment planning systems. And while technology is important to quality radiation therapy, ROS also recognizes that it is the well-trained staff that provides the critical link between advanced technology and compassionate cancer care.