Montpelier, VT – When Maggie Frampton heard the words “you have cancer,” it felt like her world came to a crashing halt. But thanks to a powerful new machine and a compassionate team, she didn’t have to face her journey alone – or far from home. 

“I was stunned on some level because of the reality of it,” Frampton, a psychotherapist from Montpelier, recalls. “But I thought, okay, they have a plan. We’ll take care of it.” 

That plan included daily radiation treatments for four weeks to fight cancer found in her right breast. Her treatments coordinated by the UVM Cancer Center were fast – just 10 minutes each day – thanks to University of Vermont Health Network – Central Vermont Medical Center’s (CVMC) new linear accelerator, a state-of-the-art machine that delivers radiation with pinpoint accuracy. Installed in May, the accelerator has already treated 65 patients, including Frampton. 

“I thought it would take 30 or 45 minutes,” she says. “But I was in and out in 10. I could come in, get treated, and carry on with my life. I’m still working, and I could work with the schedule. We are really, really lucky to have this kind of technology here.” 

Upgrading World-Class Cancer Care, Close to Home 

A linear accelerator is a machine that uses high-energy radiation to target cancer cells while protecting nearby healthy tissue. It’s used to treat many types of cancer – brain, spine, lung, breast, prostate, and more. 

The new accelerator at CVMC is part of a multi-year plan by UVM Health Network to upgrade and replace six machines across its four cancer treatment sites for more effective care and coordination across sites: CVMC, University of Vermont Medical Center, Alice Hyde Medical Center (AHMC), and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH). 

These upgrades include faster, more efficient treatments, sharper imaging during therapy and cloud-based software that connects UVM Health Network cancer experts across the region. 

The health system’s investment in these machines is about more than technology – it’s about access. In 2023 alone, 25,000 radiation treatments were delivered across all of the system’s sites. Now, with faster machines and better collaboration, the goal is to treat more patients quickly and as close to home as possible. 

Work is already underway to install the first of three upgraded linear accelerators at UVM Medical Center, continuing the health system’s commitment to high-quality care throughout the region. 

Life After Treatment 

When Frampton finished her final treatment, she rang the bell outside the cancer center – a tradition that marks the end of radiation therapy. 

“Tanya said, ‘Ring the bell,’ and I did,” Frampton says. “Everyone clapped. It felt like I was sort of on stage, which I’m not real comfortable with. But in that case, it worked. It made me feel really good.” 

She celebrated with friends over dinner in Stowe, grateful for the care she received and the life she still gets to live. 

“I feel like I’m in my next life just enjoying things,” she adds. “Walking, talking with friends, going places, concerts – keeping active as much as I can.” 

And for those just beginning their journey, Frampton has a message of hope. 

“I would hope that if anybody sees this, they’ll feel a little less stressed,” she explains. “There’s life on the other side of treatment. And the team here is outstanding. Super doctors. The techs, the front desk, everyone was just so wonderful.”