The basics:

• Morris Cancer Center begins seeing outpatient cancer patients
• NJ’s first freestanding cancer hospital opens for care
• Facility to ramp up to 1,000 outpatients per day
• Leaders from RWJBarnbas Health, Rutgers describe opening as transformational

It was a milestone day in New Brunswick June 23 as the new Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center began seeing its first patients.

As NJBIZ reported, the ribbon cutting recently took place for the Morris Cancer Center. The facility holds distinction as New Jersey’s first and only freestanding, comprehensive cancer hospital.

The 12-story, 520,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art hospital offers a patient-centric focus. Jack Morris, the famed developer, chair of the board at RWJ University Hospital – and the Cancer Center’s namesake – described the facility as “life-changing” and “game-changing.”

“It’s just something that will be near and dear to all our hearts forever,” Morris told reporters. “You can’t do something like this without total cooperation from all the people that were involved – from all of our board members, who believed in me and my crazy mission; from our politicians – local, state, county, every level. Everybody invested in us. And it’s just not about Jack — it’s about all of them.”

Morris said the great state of New Jersey is the right place for this type of change in cancer care.

“And I think we are going to change the way cancer care is delivered throughout the United States of America. Because of this,” said Morris.

Dream come true

Beginning Monday morning, the impressive hub welcomed the first patients for outpatient care. Officials estimated expecting some 500 patients at the outset, as capacity ramps to nearly 1,000 outpatients per day.

RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan said that speaks to the amount of people the Morris is helping as well as lives touched.

“To see it live and in person after years and years of planning – all these incredible people, the scientists, the clinicians, the administrators,” Manigan told reporters. “They’ve put so much time into making this dream come true. It’s really something to be part of.”

“I’m just really excited for what this is going to do for our patients,” Dr. Steven Libutti, William N. Hait director, Rutgers Cancer Institute; senior vice president, Oncology Services, RWJBarnabas Health, told NJBIZ.

Libutti also serves as director of the Morris Cancer Center. He said, “The facility itself is going to enable our providers and our nurses and our state to execute at a level that has been aspirational for us.

“The skillsets have always been there. The compassion, the knowledge, the know-how. But now to have this beautiful space to do it – and really for the patients to benefit from – is just exciting. I get goosebumps every time I come in the building.”

NJBIZ toured the Morris Cancer Center on its inaugural day of care along with hospital leaders, as well as spoke to patients and staff. Please stay with us for further coverage.