CANCER CENTER’S HISTORIC EXPANSION

Northwestern Medicine Delnor Cancer Center is nearly doubling its infusion bays and exam rooms

By Patti MacMillan | Photo provided by Northwestern Medicine

This spring, Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital oversaw the groundbreaking for the facility’s significantly expanded Cancer Center. Construction now underway, the Geneva-based center will find its footprint increased by 15,500 square feet when the project, estimated to cost $22 million, is completed in spring 2024. A further 6,000 square feet will be renovated.

BETTER MEDICINE STARTS WITH BETTER LISTENING.

Northwestern Medicine Behavioral Health, with programs in St. Charles and Winfield, provides custom treatment plans and advanced therapies tailored to individuals and families who need help for mental health, psychiatric, substance use or addictive disorders. Our team of expert, compassionate healthcare providers is with you every step of the way, providing emotional support and advanced therapies that can offer long-term relief. To learn more about what makes us better, visit nm.org/westbh. To inquire about services, please call 630.933.4000.

BETTER

“Our vision is to bring the newest research,” says Dr. Grace Suh, medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Delnor Cancer Center. “This expansion will also help us provide more comprehensive care for our patients.” The project will result in 17 new private infusion bays for patients receiving treatment, increasing the number to 30, according to a news release from Northwestern Medicine. Plans also include 19 more exam rooms for 32 in all as well as one additional procedure room. The center currently has one procedure room. The newly renovated space will also further the ability of research staff as they look to bring more clinical trials to the center’s patients and increase the number of trial participants. “This means patients won’t have to travel downtown,” Suh says, referencing Northwestern’s Chicago campus. The center does and will continue to provide a number of sub-specialties to those seeking the care they need as determined by their specific diagnoses. A wide variety of support services, including social workers, nutritionists and those who specialize in palliative care, is also available on-site.

“With the expansion, we will have more room to develop new medical programs and think about expanding existing programs,” Suh says. Suh speaks of a space where a patient can be consulted with and cared for by a number of medical professionals, all operating under one roof. A patient with breast cancer, for instance, can see a breast surgeon, a medical oncologist, a geneticist and a radiologist all within the confines of the expanded center, providing efficient and extensive care in what is undoubtedly a challenging time for individuals.

Suh describes the project as a “milestone event” indicative of the value Delnor physicians and support services staff place on forward-thinking cancer care and research.

“We are looking ahead and expanding beyond our needs at the moment so we can grow our services,” says Suh, who adds she regularly encounters patients who travel an hour or more to receive care.

Other enhancements on the horizon include a pharmacy doubled in size as well as a larger medication room for automatic medication dispensing machines. The project will also mean larger nurse stations and a bigger staff lounge that opens onto an outdoor patio. The new construction is closest to the intersection of Randall and Keslinger roads. The work will necessitate that the adjacent retention pond be expanded to the west and native plants will also be incorporated in the overall exterior design. Throughout the renovation and expansion, regular operations are expected to continue with minimal disruption to patients. To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit www.nm.org/about-us.

Life Is Too Short To Be Limited By Pain

At Fox Valley Orthopedics, -centered, comprehensive care is at the forefront of everything we do. Our team of specialists provide orthopedic care for: -Foot & Ankle -Hand & Wrist -Joint Replacement -Pain Management -Rheumatology -Spine -Sports Medicine