Winter Haven Hospital's Cassidy Cancer Center welcomes Dr. Robert Cassell
January 27, 2009

Winter Haven Hospital is pleased to announce that Robert H. Cassell, M.D., has joined the hospital’s new Cassidy Cancer Center as Medical Director.

As Medical Director, Dr. Cassell will oversee clinical programs at the center and also will serve as an associate professor of medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine. Through its affiliation with UF, the Cassidy Cancer Center gives patients access to a full range of cancer diagnosis and treatment locally as well as access to clinical trial therapies offered at the nationally recognized academic medical center in Gainesville.

“We are very excited to have a physician of Dr. Cassell’s caliber join the Cassidy Cancer Center. He is one of Polk County’s most experienced practitioners of hematology / oncology,” said Lance Anastasio, president and CEO of Winter Haven Hospital.

“As part of our mission to increase access to state-of-the-art healthcare in Central Florida, we are committed to recruiting and retaining top clinicians in every discipline,” Anastasio added. “We believe it is a meaningful commitment not only to our patients and our current medical staff, but to other practitioners who are contemplating coming to our region.”

Dr. Cassell said: “I am pleased to be joining Winter Haven Hospital’s Cassidy Cancer Center where it is clear that a long-term commitment to excellence has been made by the hospital administration, by the University of Florida College of Medicine and Shands Healthcare and by our philanthropic partners in the community who generously support our institution. Given that kind of support, we look forward to seeing the best possible patient outcomes.”

Al Cassidy, a member of the Winter Haven Hospital Board of Trustees, said: “I have known Dr. Cassell for many years and am very aware of his skills and reputation. He is not only a strong family man, but a passionate community advocate as well. We feel we have the best man for the job."