Geisinger Places Final Beam on Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center Expansion

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center took one step closer to completing the enhancement of the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Cancer Center during a small, physically distanced beam-topping ceremony on March 31.

The $80 million investment brings world-class cancer care closer to home for patients and their support systems, which is critical in improving outcomes for those battling cancer. Since 2008, Geisinger has invested more than $325 million into better and more accessible care for people in Luzerne County. This latest update to the Henry Cancer Center means patients in northeastern Pennsylvania won’t need to seek advanced cancer care in cities like Philadelphia and New York. 

“Managing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities has been our main focus this past year, but today we are proud to take a moment to further our mission of making better health easier for the communities we serve,” said Jaewon Ryu, M.D., J.D., Geisinger’s president and CEO. “This commitment in Luzerne County ensures our neighbors in northeastern Pennsylvania can stay close to home for the most advanced, life-saving cancer care. It’s the fulfillment of the vision that the Henry family and Geisinger established 30 years ago.”

The 92,150-square-foot, four-story cancer center expansion will boost state-of-the-art care by constructing an 18-bed inpatient unit to serve patients who formerly had to seek care outside the region, like those with complex blood cancers such as leukemias and aggressive lymphomas. Consolidation of treatment services under one roof at the cancer center will produce a more centralized care model for patients, which delivers more efficient care services, a better patient experience and improved outcomes. A redesigned reception and lounge area, along with a new 51-bay infusion center, which doubles the previous number of bays used for chemotherapy and other intravenous treatments, will improve accessibility to care by reducing wait times and increasing availability for appointments. All of these enhancements complement a comprehensive cancer program that already features technology like CyberKnife, a highly targeted radiation treatment otherwise unavailable outside of major metropolitan areas like Philadelphia or New York.

The expansion project also includes a new, modern façade and lobby at the hospital’s main entrance, and the more-inviting entryway will include a retail pharmacy, healthy food options, and a specialty retail boutique offering products commonly used by patients in cancer treatment. All of these additional amenities and services have been designed with patient comfort, convenience and wellness in mind.

These additions at the Henry Cancer Center, which opened in 1992 thanks in part to a transformative gift from long-time donors Frank M. and Dorothea Henry, will bolster a cancer program that already offers advanced, individualized care delivered by multidisciplinary teams of hematologists and medical oncologists, genetic counselors, nutritionists, social services professionals, spiritual care counselors and an entire surgical suite of specially trained providers. These teams provide a comprehensive suite of services including: chemotherapy, infusion therapy, sophisticated imaging, comprehensive lab services, pharmacy services, palliative medicine, and research and clinical trials.

“For nearly three decades, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center has developed a program that brings exceptional cancer care to northeastern Pennsylvania residents,” said Rajiv Panikkar, M.D., chair of the Geisinger Cancer Institute. “This project is another step forward. We are expanding cancer services for our neighbors and their caretakers, providing what they need in their own community.”

The investment reinforces Geisinger’s pledge to offer the best quality care to northeastern Pennsylvanians.

“When our patients enter Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center, they’ll know they’re getting world-class care in the same hospital that’s taken care of generations of people in the region,” said Ron Beer, chief administrative officer of Geisinger’s northeast region. “Our patients will no longer have to travel outside our region for advanced cancer treatment, thanks to the continued support of our community. The Henry family’s vision for state-of-the-art cancer care in northeastern Pennsylvania has changed the lives of countless members of our communities, and that vision lives on today.”

For more information on cancer care at Geisinger, visit Geisinger.org/cancerexpansion.