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The basics:

• Morris Cancer Center treated more than 85K patients in its first year
• New Brunswick hospital delivered 23K-plus chemotherapy infusions, nearly 20K radiation treatments
• Part of RWJBarnabas Health‘s $1.5B investment to transform cancer care throughout NJ

One year after officially opening its doors, New Jersey’s first and only freestanding cancer hospital is celebrating a milestone year while helping drive a major expansion of cancer services across the state.

RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute marked the first anniversary of the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center June 24. The facility is one of only 13 freestanding cancer hospitals in the nation.

Since opening, the state-of-the-art New Brunswick facility has emerged as a leading destination for cancer care, operating at full capacity and serving patients from throughout New Jersey and beyond.

In its first year, the Morris Cancer Center:

• Treated more than 85,000 patients
• Delivered more than 23,000 chemotherapy infusions
• Provided nearly 20,000 radiation therapy treatments
• Performed more than 1,900 surgical procedures
• Provided access to nearly 300 innovative clinical trials

The need for local care

“The tremendous response to the Morris Cancer Center over the past year demonstrates the need for and value of having NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Care available right here in New Jersey,” said Dr. Steven Libutti, William N. Hait Director of Rutgers Cancer Institute and senior vice president of oncology services for RWJBarnabas Health. “This milestone and the opening of the Melchiorre Cancer Center is a testament of our commitment to expand access and deliver the best care for patients and families in the state and beyond.”

As NJBIZ has extensively reported, the center brings advanced cancer treatment, groundbreaking research and comprehensive patient support services together under one roof.

Through the partnership between Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health, patients have access to innovative clinical trials, cellular therapies, complex surgical procedures, advanced radiation therapy techniques and leading-edge technologies, including the MR-Linear Accelerator, which supports highly personalized treatment plans.

Raising the bar

Mark Manigan, president and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, said that only one year in, the Morris Cancer Center is already raising the high bar that was initially set.

“We purpose-built the Morris to put leading-edge research and world-class care in one place and within reach of every cancer patient, cutting out the long travel times and waits too many families had known before,” said Manigan. “By every metric, we are succeeding.”

The anniversary coincides with the next phase of RWJBarnabas Health’s $1.5 billion investment to transform cancer care throughout New Jersey.

Take a look around

NJBIZ toured the Melchiorre Cancer Center ahead of its opening. See the photos here.

On June 22, the health system and Rutgers Cancer Institute opened the Melchiorre Cancer Center in Livingston. Located on the campus of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, the five-story, 137,000-square-foot facility will serve as the North Jersey destination for oncology services. The space brings together multidisciplinary specialists, researchers, nurses, support teams and advanced technology in one location.

Looking ahead, the expansion will continue next year with the planned opening of the Specialty and Cancer Care Center on the Vogel Medical Campus in Tinton Falls. That facility is expected to further expand access to advanced oncology services for patients throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties as well as the broader Jersey Shore region.

Together, the Morris Cancer Center, the newly opened Melchiorre Cancer Center and the future Vogel Medical Campus facility represent a growing statewide network designed to ensure that more New Jersey residents have access to leading cancer specialists, innovative clinical trials and advanced treatments close to home.