$15 million in donations doubled the size of the John B. Amos Cancer Center

After more than two years of construction and $15 million-plus in community donations , renovation and expansion of Piedmont Columbus Regional’s John B. Amos Cancer Center is complete.

The project almost doubled the size of the existing cancer center to 105,000 square feet, Sheree Tolbert, executive director of oncology services said.

Members of the media were invited Monday to tour the facility, which is named after Aflac insurance firm co-founder John B. Amos, who died of cancer in 1990.

The expansion and renovation will allow the center to serve more local patients while they stay close to home, Dan Amos, John B. Amos’ nephew, said.

“This cancer center has taken care of so many people in the community and although when we originally built it, it was perfect in size, unfortunately more people in the community have been diagnosed with cancer and needed treatments,” he said. “The ability to stay in the town in which you are diagnosed or live in is so much easier on the patients themselves and their families.”

Amos, chief executive officer of Aflac, serves as co-chair of the capital campaign for the renovation and expansion.

The cancer center was established in 2002 and moved to its existing location at 1831 5th Avenue in late 2004.

The expansion was built on property adjacent to the center which once housed the Hamilton House, a nursing home facility that Columbus Regional had owned and operated since 1990.

Renovation of the building was completed last month. The renovated portion of the building includes:

• A 10-chair Outpatient Infusion Center for non-cancer patients needing infusion therapy services
• Stella’s Boutique, a retail space where cancer survivors can purchase wigs, prostheses, surgical camisoles and other products
• The Woodruff Support Services Suite that features art and massage therapy
• The June Wright Community Conference Room

Phase one of the project, expansion of the facility, was completed last December and included the addition of a nearly 50,000-square-foot adjoining building. The expansion features:

• The Cheves Chemotherapy Infusion Suite featuring 32 semi-private bays and four private rooms
• A newly designed Medical Oncology Suite (named in tribute to Dr. Andrew Pippas) that features 27 exam rooms
• A new expanded pharmacy with retail space
• The new Courage Cafe

• An open-concept lobby with a new cumulative Donor Wall

The expansion also allowed for the Breast Care Center to be relocated to the cancer center from its previous location on Hamilton Road.

The public is invited to a community open house and ribbon cutting event at 5:30 p.m. September 27. The center is located at 1831 5th Avenue.

Piedmont Columbus Regional became part of Piedmont Healthcare in March 2018.

This story was originally published September 24, 2019 at 10:07 AM.