Author: McLaren Flint
McLaren Flint has enhanced the cancer care options at Memorial Healthcare Cancer Center with an almost $6 million investment. This funding adds a new medical linear accelerator (LINAC) to the Owosso-based facility, an advanced technology commonly used in radiation therapy for treating cancer.
The therapy unit — a Varian TrueBeam® — has been installed following five months of construction and is currently operational, making leading-edge cancer care available to Owosso and its surrounding communities.
“McLaren has maintained a decades-long partnership with Memorial Healthcare to support cancer care services,” said McLaren Flint President and CEO Chris Candela. “We value this relationship and our shared goal of providing the care patients need close to home. We also commend McLaren Flint Medical Director of Radiation Oncology Dr. Hesham Gayar’s recognized expertise and passion for advocating for what’s best for patient care.”
Through the partnership, oncologists with the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Flint manage Memorial’s radiation oncology program.
“I’m pleased McLaren leadership continues to support and invest in the latest patient care technologies my colleagues and I are delivering to the residents of Shiawassee County,” said Dr. Gayar.
The technology now in place is the Varian TrueBeam®. It provides external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancerous tumors or benign diseases. It delivers high-energy x-rays or electrons directly to the tumor or target while protecting the surrounding healthy tissue. The advanced features of the LINAC enable Stereotactic Radiation Therapy (SRT/SBRT), which typically involves one to five treatment sessions, compared to conventional radiation, that can take weeks or months to complete.
“This investment represents the strength of our long-standing partnership with McLaren Flint and the Karmanos Cancer Network,” said Brian L. Long, President & CEO of Memorial Health System. “By working together, we are able to bring advanced cancer treatment technology like the Varian TrueBeam directly to our community, ensuring patients can receive high-quality, leading-edge care close to home. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to improving access, outcomes, and the overall patient experience.”
Patients started receiving treatments with the new technology on January 6, 2026.