Olathe Medical Center (OMC) held a ceremonial groundbreaking on Oct. 6 for its freestanding, state-of-the-art cancer center.
Nearly 3,200 new cancer cases are diagnosed each year in OMC’s four-county service area, which means almost nine people every day. For cancer patients like Kelly Long, 32, who was diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks before her wedding, it was the team of doctors from OMC who helped make her future dreams a reality. After getting married at the Grand Canyon, Long’s team of surgeons and physicians were able to treat her cancer, while preserving her ability to have children in the future.
“The doctors and nurses are like my family now,” Long said. “Having all of them so connected and in one place made such a difference. All of the staff at Olathe Medical Center played a crucial role in my care, and really my life.”
The new cancer center will enhance the award-winning, nationally accredited cancer care already provided at OMC by integrating most outpatient cancer services into one location and adding the latest treatment technology.
The cancer center will include:
- A radiation therapy suite with a linear accelerator, multi-slice CT simulator, and relaxing treatment rooms with adjacent medical oncology suites for combined therapies in the same visit
- A chemotherapy infusion suite with private and semi-private rooms and specialized chemotherapy stations
- An appearance center and boutique with cosmetic items such as wigs and skin care products, plus a prosthetics fitting area
- A relaxation courtyard with shaded outdoor seating
OMC is an accredited member of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, as well as a member of the Midwest Cancer Alliance.
The new cancer center is part of the $100 million OMC expansion project. HMN Architects designed the building. Turner Construction Company has been selected as the general contractor. The new cancer center is scheduled to open in early 2018. For more information, visit www.olathehealth.org/cancer.