NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — There’s a new option to fight cancer in Hampton Roads: the Sentara Brock Cancer Center.
“We’re really thrilled that this center finally is coming into existence as both a regional resource and as a community resource,” said Howard Kern, Sentara Healthcare president and CEO.
On East Virginia Beach Boulevard in Norfolk, the $93.5 million, 253,000-square-foot facility opened to some patients in early June.
On Friday, the center officially got its name in honor of Joan and Macon Brock, founders of Dollar Tree.
“Joan and Macon were both cancer patients,” said Kern. “Joan is a cancer survivor. Macon has passed away from cancer.”
Carolyn Carpenter, Sentara Healthcare corporate vice president, said, “It reminds us that cancer is personal. When you see that name on the building, it’ll remind you that … [the] people being served are cured and supported.”
Carpenter says the new facility will streamline treatment for patients.
“Cancer care has a lot of diagnostics, a lot of visiting time and management time with physicians and a lot of treatment time,” said Carpenter. “So this puts it all under one roof, so the convenience, removing that stress for our patients and our families.”
She also hopes it will provide better outcomes for patients.
“We know patients do better when there’s multidisciplinary care and that means you bring folks together from different specialties, medical oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology and others to support your patients and create comprehensive care for them,” said Carpenter. “It also gives us the opportunity to have this nexus of intellectual capital and thought which gives us research opportunities and discovery opportunities.”
The new cancer center will also have an outdoor healing garden, alternative therapy options, a rehab gym and more.
The rest of the center’s opening will be in phases between now and spring 2021.
