Cancer Treatment Center breaks ground on new hospital in Tulsa

A Tulsa healthcare provider is building a new home in town. Cancer Treatment Centers of America broke ground on a new 190,000 square foot hospital in southeast Tulsa Tuesday. <br><br>News on 6 reporter

Tuesday, February 24th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A Tulsa healthcare provider is building a new home in town. Cancer Treatment Centers of America broke ground on a new 190,000 square foot hospital in southeast Tulsa Tuesday.

News on 6 reporter Steve Berg says one of Cancer Treatment Centers central beliefs is that the building itself is important to the patient's recovery. So they're constructing this new facility with lots of natural light, and an atrium, and a rooftop garden, and gathering areas that encourage patients to socialize and the list goes on. "There'll be warm tones, there will be no sterility, and there are no rules here that say you can't bring your grandchild in, there's only two to see you, come on in, and itâ€™s healing." Chairman and founder Richard Stephenson says they're making a considerable investment in new equipment too.

But even the patients themselves stress the importance of the personal touch during their stays at the hospital, which sometimes last months. â€œIâ€™m not feeling well in those times. I'm sick and I'm ill. I get to live in a beautiful awesome building which will help me in my mental emotional state, which is what all of us need and I thank you for that."

Cancer Treatment Centers officials say they took suggestions from more than 100 cancer patients when designing the building, everything from lighting to colors to architectural elements.

The building is scheduled to be finished in the spring of next year.