SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- November 11, 2017 marks Veterans Day in the United States, a day to publicly recognize and honor those people who have served, or are serving, in the Armed Services. Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) employees who have aided their country through military duty are now providing another type of service to military personnel. Each day, it is their mission to ensure that the radiation therapy systems the company manufactures are in prime working condition and ready when needed to provide the best possible treatment to people diagnosed with cancer.
"At Accuray, more than 50 percent of the U.S. Field Service Team has served our country through military duty. We believed it was important to act selflessly, to do everything we could to help others, and have carried these values over to the work that we're currently doing," said Kevin Brigham, Senior Field Service Engineer at Accuray; former radar technician in the U.S. Navy. "We're committed to ensuring that our radiation therapy systems are operating the way they should, so clinicians are able to do their jobs – to provide effective treatments to patients who may benefit from radiation therapy."
According to a 2012 U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) study of VA cancer patients, 97.5% of whom were male, the five most frequently diagnosed cancers were prostate, lung and bronchial, colorectal, urinary and bladder cancers, and skin melanomas. While this mirrors the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the general population of American men, veterans are at higher risk for developing these cancers, which are often effectively treated using targeted radiation therapy.
Through the VA Choice Program, established as part of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 (VACAA), veterans enrolled in VA health can receive care within their community or see a cancer specialist with the most advanced technology, such as the AccurayCyberKnife®, Radixact™ and TomoTherapy® Systems, instead of waiting for a VA appointment or travelling to a VA facility. The innovative Accuray Systems were designed to provide precise radiation treatments which minimize exposure to healthy tissue and measurably reduce associated side effects.
"As a veteran, I'm proud that Accuray supports the military community through employment opportunities and educational efforts around the VA Choice Program. While very different, each are critical to the well-being of the esteemed military personnel who have served our country," said Andy Kirkpatrick, Senior Vice President, Global Operations and R&D at Accuray; former nuclear engineer and submarine officer in the U.S. Navy.
"I joined TomoTherapy, Incorporated, now Accuray, almost 14 years ago. As one of the first 100 employees, I've seen the evolution of the TomoTherapy platform. I was impressed with the system when it was first introduced and am now blown away by the enhancements which have been made to ensure patients receive the optimal treatment for their condition. I'm gratified that we are working to improve veterans' access to this technology, and our CyberKnife platform, through the VA Choice Program," commented Robert Sinklair, Engineering Technician IV at Accuray; former aerographers mate in the U.S. Navy.
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About Accuray
Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY) is a radiation oncology company that develops, manufactures and sells precise, innovative treatment solutions that set the standard of care with the aim of helping patients live longer, better lives. The company's leading-edge technologies deliver the full range of radiation therapy and radiosurgery treatments. For more information, please visit www.accuray.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate, but are not limited, to clinical results, our ability to provide veterans with access to our technology, and Accuray's leadership position in radiation oncology innovation and technologies. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations, including but not limited to the risks detailed from time to time under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's report on Form 10-K, and as updated periodically with the company's other filings with the SEC.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to Accuray at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. The company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual performance or results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, investors should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.
Media:
Beth Kaplan
Public Relations Director, Accuray
+1 (408) 789-4426
bkaplan@accuray.com
Sherry Feldberg
MSLGROUP
+1 (781) 684-0770
accuray@mslgroup.com
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SOURCE Accuray Incorporated
