CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The final beam was put into place Monday morning at CAMC’s David Lee Cancer Center.
“This is our topping-off ceremony. We’re going to place the final steel beam on the construction of the new cancer center,” explained Gail Pitchford, the president of the CAMC Foundation.
The groundbreaking was held in June 2012 at the site of the old Watt Powell Park in Kanawha City, across the road from CAMC Memorial. Pitchford said the bones of the new building are now in place.
A crowd of former and current CAMC cancer patients, community leaders and hospital staff watched as the beam, signed by hundreds of people, was hoisted to the third floor of the structure and secured into place.
“It’s anticipated to be finished by March 2015 and we’ll see the first patient through the door,” said Pitchford.
Once the state-of-the-art facility is complete, it will offer 100,000 square feet for all of CAMC’s cancer programs which are currently spread out at the hospital’s different sites. Specialists in radiation oncology, medical oncology, chemotherapy, clinical trials and tumor registry are just a few of the service the cancer center will provide.
Pitchford said the project wouldn’t have been possible without donations from the community and pledges from hospital employees. The final price tag will be $15 million.
“It’s going to be the culmination of the efforts of a lot of people…the power of many,” according to Pitchford.