UCHealth to celebrate opening of cancer center with ribbon cutting and sneak preview for community

New facility offers one-door access for cancer services, experts
May 28, 2014

WHERE TO GO

  • What: University of Colorado Health ribbon cutting and tour
  • When: 6 p.m. June 4
  • Where: 2121 E. Harmony Road (A Building, west side), Fort Collins

BY THE NUMBERS

  • Facility: University of Colorado Health cancer center
  • Size: 30,000 square feet
  • Cost: $11 million

Donations from the community: To date, more than 4,600 community members have contributed more than $5 million (cash received and donations pledged) toward phase 2 and 3 of the cancer center project. Fundraising for phase 3 – the survivorship center – is ongoing.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Crews are putting the finishing touches on University of Colorado Health’s new cancer center, a project that has been more than seven years in the making.

Before the center’s doors officially open for patients, though, UCHealth will host a June 4 event for residents of northern Colorado to get a chance to see the center in person, meet the care team and celebrate the completion with an official ribbon cutting program.

“At every step of the way, we’ve had the support of the community,” said JoAnn Lovins, the director of the cancer program. “From the schoolchildren who helped raised funds penny by penny, to the cancer survivors who helped define the ideal patient experience, so many people and organizations made this center possible. We want to celebrate and share what it’s like when a vision of creating a place of hope becomes a reality.”

The ribbon-cutting event will begin at 6 p.m. June 4 at the center, 2121 E. Harmony Road (A Building) in Fort Collins.

The ceremony will feature Lovins in addition to Karen Weitkunat, the mayor of Fort Collins, Kevin Unger, the chief executive officer of Poudre Valley Hospital, Vikki Wagner, a cancer survivor, Mike Dellenbach, chairman of the PVH and MCR Foundation Board, Dr. William Neff, UCHealth’s interim chief executive officer, and Dr. Matt Sorensen, the medical director of the oncology service line.

Following the ceremony, tours will be offered.

The $11 million, two-story center will open to patients June 9. It was designed to provide patients with one-door access to cancer treatment, research, support and survivorship services.

About UCHealth

UCHealth is a Front Range health system that delivers the highest quality patient care with the highest quality patient experience. UCHealth combines Memorial Hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, University of Colorado Hospital and a network of more than 40 medical clinics into one organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West. UCHealth partners with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and numerous community organizations to provide care. Separately, these institutions can continue providing superior care to patients and service to the communities they serve. Together, they push the boundaries of medicine, attracting more research funding, hosting more clinical trials and improving health through innovation.