Following years of planning, The University of Kansas Health System has received the equipment necessary for a new proton therapy treatment center, designed by architecture planning and design firm Hoefer Welker in partnership with Stantec.
One of only 38 proton therapy centers in the United States, the new facility will be the only cancer center to offer this specialized form of radiation treatment throughout Kansas and its surrounding states, including Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado and Arkansas. Treatment will be offered through The University of Kansas Cancer Center when complete.
The construction of the new proton therapy center is in partnership with Kansas City-based McCownGordon Construction and construction firm Linbeck, based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Based in Kansas City, Kan., the 38,200-SF care center will serve cancer patients throughout the region and beyond. The project is tentatively slated to be completed in December 2021 and will be open to patients in January 2022.
Supported by Stantec’s proton expertise, Hoefer Welker is now one of a handful of firms in the U.S. with expertise specific to proton therapy treatment.
Throughout the design process, the Hoefer Welker team coordinated with physicians and other members of the medical team to determine the needs of patients, families and caregivers. This included a collaborative visioning session that assessed psychological, sociological and physiological impacts on all involved parties as well as goals and success metrics.
Using data gathered during the session, Hoefer Welker designed the facility with a focus on clinical flow, calming aesthetics and an improved patient and staff experience.
“As architects, one of the things we really believe in at Hoefer Welker is that we don’t just design buildings,” said principal and Healthcare Practice Leader Patrick McCurdy, who manages the project.
“We don’t just design spaces or provide medical equipment and technology planning; we design an entire experience,” McCurdy said.
Hoefer Welker’s services for the treatment center include architectural and interior design; furniture, furnishings and equipment (FF&E); clinical space planning; medical equipment planning and construction administration.
The new proton treatment center also includes a protective concrete vault to guard against unnecessary radiation. The vault walls are six to nine feet thick and will house 160 tons of equipment. Construction of the vault will require 2,721 cubic yards of concrete and 377,513 pounds – or 125 pickup trucks’ worth – of steel rebar.
Proton therapy offers a highly specialized and precisely targeted form of radiation treatment using protons –rather than X-rays – to attack tumors. Given the limited availability of proton therapy, many cancer patients have to travel long distances to receive this specialized form of care.
As the region’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center, The University of Kansas Cancer Center’s new proton therapy center will allow Midwestern patients to remain close to home, families and much-needed support systems while undergoing treatment.
“Many cancer patients can’t receive this specialized treatment without traveling across several states to get it,” said partner, principal-in-charge and National Healthcare practice leader John Castorina.
“The stress that puts on the patient, their well-being and their recovery – as well as the emotional and financial stress it puts on their caregiver – is immense, and it’s something we hope this new facility can provide relief for. The capability to provide this treatment is a profound addition to our community and our region.”