HASTINGS — Mary Lanning Healthcare is pleased to announce the addition of a nationally renowned medical oncologist to the Morrison Cancer Center.
Mehmet Sitki Copur, MD FACP, who has been practicing for many years in Grand Island, has joined the already strong team of Dr. Pornchai Jonglertham, Dr. Thomas Zusag and Carlene Springer, APRN, at MCC, 815 N. Kansas Avenue. He will be seeing patients at MCC in mid-September.
Dr. Copur recently ended a long-term relationship with CHI Health St. Francis after serving as the Medical Director for CHI Health St. Francis Cancer Treatment Center.
Eric Barber, Mary Lanning Healthcare President and CEO, said MLH is happy to bring Dr. Copur on board.
“Dr. Copur is well-known for putting his heart and soul into helping his patients and their families,” Barber said. “His considerable knowledge, training and work with national clinical trials, plus his love for his patients, fits hand-in-hand with our mission, vision and values at MLH.”
Barber said he is not concerned about the reasons behind Dr. Copur’s split with CHI Health.
“After reviewing the situation, MLH and MCC officials felt that keeping Dr. Copur in south central Nebraska was the best thing for patients and for cancer treatment as a whole in this area. He is an excellent physician with many years of experience, and we are excited to have him join our team.”
Sally Molnar, MCC Director, said her staff is excited to incorporate Dr. Copur’s specialization into the organization.
“Because our existing medical team and Dr. Copur share a passion for patients and a commitment to delivering the best possible care, we feel this addition can only be positive. We cannot wait for this next step forward for MCC and MLH.”
In addition to his job as medical director in Grand Island, Dr. Copur is an adjunct faculty professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Department of Internal Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology. He graduated from medical school at Hacettepe University in Ankara, Turkey. He served an Internal Medicine Residency, also in Turkey, before completing an internship and residency, both at Chicago Medical School in Chicago. His medical oncology fellowship was at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, and serves on numerous committees. In 2017, Dr. Copur became a member of an expert panel charged with updating the Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer guidelines for the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Copur is a fellow in the American College of Physicians, and has been heavily involved in research and clinical trials.
The Morrison Cancer Center combines compassionate, evidence-based care for diagnosis, treatment and support services all in one central location on the Mary Lanning Healthcare campus. The 19,000-square-foot building features two distinct treatment areas linked by a shared space for exam rooms and provider offices. This shared clinical space facilitates collaboration between Medical and Radiation Oncology. Dr. Zusag is board certified in Radiation Oncology and Dr. Jonglertham is board certified in Internal Medicine, Oncology and Hematology. A beautiful Healing Garden, funded by gracious donations, rounds out the beautiful Morrison Cancer Center space.