A groundbreaking ceremony was held Friday as the first step in the construction of a new facility which will house the Wayne Cancer
Center. A cooperative affiliation with Premier Health Partners, Dayton Physicians, LLC and Wayne HealthCare, the Wayne Cancer Center will bring a wider scope of oncology services to the Wayne HealthCare community.

The building, located just south of Wayne HealthCare's main campus, will be connected to the existing Wayne HealthCare outpatient and dialysis center. It will provide approximately 12,000 square feet of space and will offer medical and radiation oncology, hematology, and urology services. In addition, the Cancer Association of Darke County will have office space in the building.

"We are excited to be able to provide expanded services close to home for our community members," said Wayne Deschambeau, President and CEO of Wayne HealthCare. "Along with a convenient and modern facility, we are pleased to be able to enhance medical services with an expanded group of sub-specialty trained physicians,"  he added.

"The fight against cancer can be a lengthy process and this facility will provide convenient access for the Wayne community, while tapping into an expanded team of physicians," explained Dr. Charles Bane, President of Dayton Physicians." We look  forward to working closely with Wayne HealthCare physicians and staff to provide a greater array of services to the community."

"For 16 years Dayton Physicians has been and will continue to care for the residents and their families in this community," said Dr. James Sabiers, of Dayton Physicians. "We are committed to providing your cancer care close to home at the new Wayne Cancer Center."

Daniel McKellar, M.D., FACS, noted, "This cancer center is a wonderful accomplishment for Darke County. For cancer patients and their families, having access close to home to a variety of high quality options, including radiation, eases the process of treatment."

"We are pleased to be part of this endeavor, which will provide expanded medical services in Darke County," said Jim Pancoast, President and CEO of Premier Health Partners. "By working together, we are able to provide a modern facility, staffed by physicians practicing in a variety of specialties, located in the local community—all designed to benefit patients and their families."

The Wayne Cancer Center will have seven full time positions to serve patients and their families. The cost of construction is expected to be approximately $5 million. There will be an additional investment in capital equipment and furniture including a LINAC (linear accelerator) for the new facility.  Completion of the project is anticipated for early 2013.