We fondly remember Linda Mills, the visionary behind the Mills Breast Cancer Institute, who passed away this September from breast cancer.  Her generous gift will allow her spirit and passion for better breast cancer care to live on as construction moves forward with this new institute.  Linda’s tremendous impact in the community will be felt for many generations.  Groundbreaking Photo (above) Armed with pink shovels, three generations of Mills women break ground on the Mills Breast Cancer Institute on May 9, 2006.  Linda Mills (wearing a pink shawl) received help from (l to r) Cathy Emanuel, VP of The Carle Foundation, Linda's friend Suzanne Younger, Carle Clinic oncologist Patricia Johnson, MD, granddaughters Madison and Ashley Mills, and daughter-in-law Meredith Mills. Photo reproduced by permission of The News-Gazette, Inc. Permission does not imply endorsement by the newspaper.  May 9, 2006.

There are few moments as devastating as learning that you have cancer. In an instant, life becomes uncertain. And scary.

Now there¹s new hope in the fight against breast cancer: The Mills Breast Cancer Institute, opening on the Carle Foundation Hospital campus in 2008. In this innovative center, doctors and scientists will work together to provide the best possible outcome for patients. You¹ll not only find the latest treatments and technology, but also a team of academic and physician researchers studying new ways to diagnose, prevent, treat and cure breast cancer. 

We may not yet have an answer for this devastating disease. But by teaming together, we will provide help for today and hope for tomorrow.

View the Mills Breast Cancer Institute as seen from University Avenue
View the main entrance

Treatments
Patients will discover the most advanced treatments and diagnostic procedures at the Mills Breast Cancer Institute. Our services, provided by Carle Clinic Association physicians, will include:

• Consultations with oncologists, radiologists, radiation oncologists,
• surgical oncologists and reconstructive surgeons
• Breast cancer risk assessments
• Chemotherapy
• Sentinel node biopsies
• Hormone therapy

In addition, patients can take advantage of our comprehensive support services, such as:

• A nurse coordinator who guides patients through the treatment process
• Nutrition counseling
• Genetic and risk assessment counseling
• Support groups
• Social services (including counselors, psychologists and chaplains)
• Palliative care
• Boutique services such as wigs and prostheses

Research
We will continually push the boundaries of science to further our understanding of breast cancer. Physicians will work alongside University of Illinois researchers, using the latest scientific knowledge to find new diagnostic, treatment and prevention options while searching for a cure. Our research will focus on breast cancer detection and treatment in a variety of areas including:

• Hormone therapy
• Imaging
• Genetics
• Caring for chronic health issues associated with breast cancer

Education
At the Mills Breast Cancer Institute, patients and providers alike will find a variety of resources to help them better understand the disease. Educational tools will include:

• A learning center, library, CDs, and computer resource lab, among other patient resources
• Interactive telemedicine
• Seminars and continuing education for patients and providers

A Gift for the Future
As a breast cancer patient, Linda Mills understood how devastating the disease can be. Determined to give hope to other breast cancer patients, Ms. Mills and her husband, Doug, donated $10 million to The Carle Foundation to build the Mills Breast Cancer Institute. Their goal was to provide residents of east central Illinois with the highest level of breast cancer care while searching for new treatment options.  With their generous gift and vision of hope, the Mills family is truly giving breast cancer patients in east central Illinois a brighter future.