Community in south Denver metro area to open first cancer center in December
A growing community south of Denver will soon have its first cancer center.
By December, the nearly 17,000-square-foot third floor of the Schrader Building in AdventHealth Castle Rock will be transformed into a cancer care center. The goal is a one-stop shop for cancer treatment and care.
"It's been a lot. This year has been really, really difficult," said Castle Rock area resident Kerri Hennessy.
The first time Hennessy got the news no woman wants to hear was in 2012.
"From the time I was diagnosed to finishing radiation was about four months," said Hennessy.
She beat breast cancer and went back to normal life, until last December, when she found a lump in her breast and got the horrifying news again.
"I couldn't even type the words to my sister that I have cancer. It was just so shocking and unbelievable to have it after almost 13 years," said Hennessy.
This time, the treatment was harder on her.
"It felt more devastating. It felt so rude, like I already did my cancer journey. I shouldn't have to do this again," said Hennessy.
She went through a double mastectomy, an infection and chemotherapy.
"I tell people, chemo is awful. Do not recommend. Zero out of 10 stars. But I know that it's saving me from a potential non-curable cancer in the future, and for that, I would do it again," said Hennessy.
Hennessy had to drive about 35 minutes to Highlands Ranch for those treatments.
"It's shocking how long you are at the infusion center, and then to have to turn around and have a super long drive home when you're exhausted and just want to curl in a ball and cry," said Hennessy, adding that the drive and appointments forced her husband to take time off work.
But now, other Castle Rock patients won't have to travel so far.
"When people are receiving chemo or just frequent checkups, that time that it takes to drive, you know, 30 or 40 minutes each way, can make a big difference. And so we figured we owed it to our community to bring cancer care to Castle Rock," said Ellery Reed, Chief Nursing Officer at AdventHealth Castle Rock.
AdventHealth will soon open the growing community's first cancer treatment center, offering doctor visits, chemotherapy, radiation, a compounding pharmacy, spiritual services and a kitchen for nutritional classes.
"All along these walls are infusion bays. And so we were very diligent about putting them on this side because of the views out these windows. We chose these windows to give a sense of peace and calm when our patients are here receiving their infusions," said Reed, while giving a tour of the under-construction site.
Today, Hennessy is cancer-free again and advocates for better access to care for others navigating the worst news of their life.
"Really wasn't until the last couple months that I've come back to life and I've started doing all the things again and feeling cancer-free," said Hennessy. "When this cancer center opens, it's going to be so incredibly amazing for the women in this area to have such a short drive to their treatments and all their appointments."
AdventHealth has raised $13 million to fund the cancer center through a Rock of Hope campaign. They need just about $1 million more to reach their goal.
"Thank you to everybody who's been a part of this. It really has taken a village. It's taken many, many years, and we're finally seeing this come to fruition. So just grateful to the community, grateful to all of our supporters, and we're excited to be able to provide this service," said Reed.