HILLVIEW, Ky. — Healthcare outside of the Louisville Metro continues to grow as the University of Louisville announced an expansion into rural Kentucky. The Brown Cancer Center will now have a second location that should be convenient to healthcare commuters that don't live in the city.
On Monday, UofL officials and state legislators called the new addition a "game changer" in cancer research and treatment.
UofL Health - South Hospital opened two months ago and started making a significant difference to people needing medical attention in the Shepherdsville area.
The new cancer center, expected to be completed in early 2026, will be an additional building that will add to the extension of healthcare south of Louisville.
"I can tell you right now that it's our goal to reduce the cancer death rate in Kentucky by 50% within the next 10 years," Chief Administrative Officer of Brown Cancer Center Dr. Jason Chesney said.
Kentucky legislators approved $25 million to create the new facility to advance cancer research, education and access to the area.
In the audience during Monday's announcement was Robert Flaherty, public health director of the Bullitt County Health Department.
"Kentucky's (cancer) rate is about 170 to 175 per 1,000 people," Flaherty said. "While Bullitt County, our rates are around the state average. You get into more rural parts of the state and their cancer rates are much higher."
Brown Cancer Center patient Chris Sutton, from Eddyville, Kentucky, opened up about being diagnosed with a very rare form of malignant melanoma on his left cheek. Sutton has been traveling 400 miles to and from Louisville for treatment.
"I think it's about time for this type of care to be brought to rural areas," he said. "Boy, this is a great first step and so exciting."
Sutton said the center will benefit others like himself and would reduce the travel time for many west Kentuckians, like himself.
"I'm not here for me, I'm here to get the word out and help these people to talk about the patients that haven't even gotten a diagnosis yet," Sutton said.
The building will provide clinical trials, cancer screenings, and educational programs to people who live in southern, western and central Kentucky. It will house infusion rooms, exam rooms, an oncology pharmacy, lecture hall and much more.
"To go from no specialist, no oncologist, nothing here in the cancer realm -- to a center such as this is going to be cutting edge research and treatment," Flaherty said. "It's just a tremendous opportunity."
UofL said it plans to break ground on the facility within the next year and have construction wrapped up by early 2026.
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