Last modified: Thursday, September 22, 2005
Expansion will keep IU Cancer Center at forefront of care for patients and families
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEPT. 22, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS -- The shovels may be ceremonial but the implications are concrete for cancer patients and their families as officials break ground Thursday for a major expansion of the Indiana University Cancer Center.
The center, a partnership of IU School of Medicine and Clarian Health Partners, now is under construction at the corner of W. Michigan St. and University Blvd.
The $150 million structure, which will be connected to Indiana University Hospital on the IU Medical Center campus, will make the most advanced treatment facilities and modern, comfortable resources available at Indiana's only National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center providing clinical care. The 405,216-square-foot building is scheduled to open in 2008.
"The IU Cancer Center will extend and enhance the extraordinary cancer care already delivered at Indiana University Hospital," said Daniel F. Evans, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Clarian Health Partners. "It's a state-of-the-art facility that allows patients from Indiana and around the country to receive the most comprehensive and innovative cancer treatment in a family-focused environment."
"The new IU Cancer Center demonstrates our commitment to providing both the finest patient care and investing in the cutting-edge research that will result in tomorrow's state-of-the-art treatments," said D. Craig Brater, dean of the IU School of Medicine. "The foundation of this new center is years of expertise in providing the best in cancer care."
"Construction of the new facility is part of a joint commitment to quality care for Hoosiers. It moves us significantly closer to our goal of becoming one of the nation's top five centers for cancer research, diagnosis and treatment," said Adam Herbert, president of Indiana University.
The cancer center project will build on the successful 8-year-old collaboration between the IU School of Medicine and Clarian. That collaboration is a key component to the biomedical research community that is growing in downtown Indianapolis, and to the state's life sciences initiative in partnership with BioCrossroads.
The new facility will have the capacity for 80 new cancer treatment beds, for both in-patient and out-patient care, facilities for up to 40 patients receiving chemotherapy, as well as many other patient and family amenities.
Patient and family-focused care has been a key aspect of planning for the IU Cancer Center, thanks to the involvement of members of a patient advisory board that provided input based on their experiences and those of their families in being treated for cancer.
Dr. Brater noted that cancer will be the primary area of research in the new Research III building for which the School of Medicine will be breaking ground in November. The new research building will result in a three-building complex of scientific research laboratories connected to the IU Cancer Center. Many of the scientists in the complex will be working to bring the results of basic scientific research to the bedside in new treatments for cancer patients.
For more information, please contact Mary Hardin (IU School of Medicine) at 317-274-7722 or mhardin@iupui, Eric Schoch (IU School of Medicine) at 317-274-7722 or eschoch@iupui.edu, or James Wide (Clarian Health) at 317-962-4589 or jwide@clarian.org.
