By Becky Weise
Joe Prosser, executive director of the Community Cancer Center, began his role about a month after ground was broken for the new addition and updated facility in 2013. Needless to say, he’s very excited to see the completion of the entire project. The two-year, $9.7 million project will enable the center to continue treating patients with the latest in technology and do so in comfortable, efficient, and peaceful surroundings for many years to come.
The Community Cancer Center celebrated its 15-year anniversary in October 2014. The result of collaborative efforts of both Advocate BroMenn and OSF St. Joseph hospitals has been a boon to Bloomington-Normal and surrounding communities.
The hospitals worked together to create a place where patients in Central Illinois can receive outstanding comprehensive cancer care that is close to home.
As cancer incidence rates continued to grow nationally and locally, the Community Cancer Center administration realized that to fulfill the needs of the more than 200 patients, who now come daily for appointments or treatment, as well as the ever-increasing numbers of future patients — not to mention the employees and staff needed to treat, see, and care for these patients — the size of the facility would need to be bigger. Substantially bigger.
The addition more than doubles the original footprint of the center’s facility, taking it from 30,000 square feet to over 60,000. “We will have more capacity to treat patients, as the number of treatment chairs increases to 30 from 21 in medical oncology,” explains Prosser.
More exam rooms, more office space, more meeting rooms, more open space in general will give physicians, nurses, and other staff members the ability to provide care in a beautiful, functional setting. New conference rooms will enable the physicians to hold tumor boards — teams of physicians who discuss cases and best practice options for treatment. “This fits in perfectly to the Cancer Center’s support of a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer care,” shares Dr. Shermian Woodhouse, medical director of the Community Cancer Center and chief radiation oncologist.
The construction has been completed in two phases, enabling the Center to provide continuous care during the entire process. Phase one included the construction of the new addition, which houses the medical oncology services provided by Mid-Illinois Hematology and Oncology Associates, support services, and many of the new meeting rooms.
Phase two, which involved the renovation of the existing facility, is set to be completed in June. This part of the project saw the main entrance enlarged and enhanced, as well as the renovation and remodel of offices and the creation of new space for additional services. “The addition of our new radiation treatment machine, the Varian’s True Beam STX was incorporated into phase one. The renovation of the actual department is nearing completion. We have increased the number of examination rooms. We are adding a patient consultation/education room where more in-depth discussions and meeting can be held with the patients, their families, and their physician. This is perfect timing as we have just added a new physician, Dr. Junaid Pasha, who joins me and Dr. Patrick Fernandes,” says Woodhouse.
Prosser is excited about other amenities the new space will allow. “We’ll have a chapel, a small café, a library, and a boutique that will carry wigs, scarves, and other supplies for patients.”
From a patient perspective, the facility itself will have a more open feel. Renovations of the original facility start at the entrance to the parking lot from Vernon Avenue. The one-way drive comes to the building under a porte cochere (covered entrance) that is large enough for four cars to use simultaneously. The parking lot will exit on Custer Court.
Even the outside space has been carefully planned, with a brick/paver terrace area designated as a memorial area in which families can memorialize or honor loved ones. A labyrinth will be added in the fall to the rear of the property.
Once inside the building, the reception desk, boutique, café, and entry to the medical oncology area are all given a good deal of space, with comfortable seating, a donor wall, and even a fireplace. The effect is calming, yet very professional and encouraging.
The new medical oncology treatment area is loosely grouped into five treatment pods having six chairs each. Patients will have more privacy and will be able to have a family member with them during treatment with the updated design.
Prosser is looking forward to offering additional expanded services to complement and enhance the overall treatment and care that patients can receive on site. For example, they will be starting a yoga class specifically designed for cancer patients. Other amenities are still in the planning stages.
The original mission of the Community Cancer Center was to improve the health status of the individuals in Central Illinois by providing comprehensive, community-based care. That mission is still very much at the forefront of the updates and changes that have taken place over the past two years. Prosser is confident that patients will find the new and improved Community Cancer Center to be an ever-growing and constant asset to the community.
The Community Cancer Center is located at 407 East Vernon in Normal. For more information visit them online www.cancercenter.org.