St. Mary's breaks ground on new cancer center

St. Mary's Medical Center broke ground March 31 on a new state-of-the-art, $22.75 million cancer center. Musical entertainment was provided by the Star of the Sea School Choir and vocalist Michelle Jordan and there was a symbolic planting of healing herbs to launch the new construction.

The project is the first stage of $26.25 million in capital improvement projects now underway at the non-profit hospital. Toward this campaign, St. Mary's employees have stepped forward and raised $253,000, 45 percent more than the employee fundraising goal.

The 14,200-square-foot cancer center will be located on the ground floor of the hospital building at 2250 Hayes St., and expects to treat approximately 400 infusion and 200 radiation therapy patients annually. It is also estimated that the new cancer center will provide for 17 new employees.

"All too often, cancer patients must visit different facilities or different locations within medical facilities to receive their care," stated Margine Sako, executive director of the St. Mary's Foundation. "This center is being designed as a patient-centric facility and will provide patients with a continuum of comprehensive cancer care, from diagnosis to education to treatment and recovery, all in one location."

Cancer incidence in San Francisco has averaged approximately 4,000 new cases annually, and that number is on the rise as its population ages.

Despite this, medical providers have limited their investment in radiation therapy for cancer due to limits placed by managed care organizations, among other factors. Some patients have to wait up to three-weeks to begin treatment due to the lack of capacity.