MaineGeneral Medical Center ceremonially broke ground on its Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care expansion project yesterday, Sept. 28.
The facility at 361 Old Belgrade Road in Augusta opened in 2007. The campus currently also houses the Alfond Center for Health, which is recognizing its tenth year of operation, and a child care center for MaineGeneral employees.
Nathan Howell, President & CEO of MaineGeneral Health said:
For 16 years, this building has served us well, providing skilled and compassionate care to thousands of Maine cancer patients. However, designed to see 800 new patients a year, the community need for its services is now more than double what we anticipated. Since 2018 alone, we’ve seen a 75 percent increase in new patient consults. The need for cancer care exceeds our ability to provide it in the world-class way our patients expect and deserve.
Cancer incidence is on the rise. More than 9,000 Mainers are diagnosed with cancer each year; MaineGeneral sees 2,000 of those patients. Additionally, 3,000 Maine patients die of the disease each year, making cancer the leading cause of death in the state.
Nicole McSweeney, Chief Marketing & Philanthropy Officer of MaineGeneral said:
To date, $29 million has been raised towards the $30 million goal. We launch the public phase of the campaign today: Honoring a Legacy, Shaping the Future, and ask our community to help close the gap in our fundraising efforts to support our patients, family and friends.
The HACCC expansion is expected to take two years to complete, and will be accomplished in a phased approach so patient care will not be interrupted.
To learn more about the expansion, go to give.mainegeneral.org/expand.
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