Jim Fair
Dr. Jay Bearden, left, Dr. Julian Posey and Jimmy Gibbs shared the landmark groundbreaking of the $65 million expansion of the Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute at Pelham.
Jim Fair
Dr. Timothy Yeatman, director and president of Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute said, 'We are dedicated to bringing the best science and research – with a strong focus on genetics – directly to patients.'
Rendering
The seven-story 198,000-square-foot facility will be an expansion of the existing Gibbs Cancer Center on Highway 14. An overhead corridor will connect the Pelham Medical Center to the cancer center.
The seven-story facility will be an expansion of the existing Gibbs Cancer Center on Highway 14. An overhead corridor will connect the Pelham Medical Center to the cancer center. Completion is scheduled for mid-2018.
“We are dedicated to bringing the best science and research – with a strong focus on genetics – directly to patients,” Dr. Timothy Yeatman, director and president of Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute, said. “No longer will patients have to travel out of town to get the very best care. Because we are building from the ground up, we have designed a facility that is conducive to teamwork. We will team up the best minds in medicine to care for our patients.”
“We are building this with the anticipation of growth in the community,” said David Church, DHA, Vice President of Oncology and Support Services for Gibbs. “This cancer center will serve generations to come and further our mission as a community and academic cancer and research center.”
Medical teams will work together in the building, where multidisciplinary experts from numerous specialties will discuss each patient’s healthcare plan and treatment options, including access to cutting-edge clinical research.
Gibbs at Pelham is less than five minutes to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, allowing easy access for individuals who fly to the area to be cared for by the experts at the complex.
“If you draw a circle within 100-miles of Greer, there are five million people within that area that we can serve,” Dr. Julian Josey said.
“Throughout my career as an oncology physician, I have developed a strong passion to grow world-class cancer care and research in the Upstate of South Carolina,” Josey said. “Breaking ground on this cancer center today is bringing us even closer to that goal.”
This project’s economic development brings an estimated $100 million to the rapidly growing Greer area, according to Church.
“We have a vision to become a destination cancer center where people throughout the region can access cutting-edge care and compassion,” said Dr. James Bearden, Vice President of Clinical Research and Associate Director of Clinical Research. “This groundbreaking is making our vision a reality.”
The Spartanburg Regional Foundation launched a $15 million capital campaign in November 2015. More than $11.5 million has been raised. “We’re committed to help patients and assist with broadening cancer care throughout the Upstate,” said Foundation Executive Director Kristy Caradori
The cancer center, named for Jimmy and Marsha Gibbs, opened its doors in Spartanburg in 1999. Now with 15 years of experience, Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Center is growing as a destination cancer center.
In 2014, Gibbs at Pelham became the first cancer center in South Carolina to use the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System. An advanced radiation delivery device, CyberKnife uses robotic tracking technology to fight cancer, eliminating tumors without surgery or even an overnight stay in the hospital.
In 2015, Gibbs was the first cancer center in the United States to use the InCise Multileaf Collimation System with the CyberKnife, which helps to further shorten radiation times.
Services provided at Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute include infusion, clinical research, integrative therapy, oncology rehabilitation, medical oncology and radiation oncology.
Gibbs expanded its research efforts by opening a 7,500-square-foot state-of-the-art facility at Pelham Medical Center in 2013.