Jefferson Township resident Kathy Miller will be one of the first patients to use the newest cancer treatment facility in Butler County.

“I'm blessed that I'm here to see this,” said Miller, who is a five-year survivor of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. “It's impressive.”

Allegheny Health Network officials cut a ceremonial ribbon on Friday to welcome the new AHN Cancer Institute-Butler, which is scheduled to open Monday.

“It seems like they're going to have a lot more room to accommodate more people,” Miller said. “It's nice that they're using this area for something like this.”

A Butler resident who would also be one of the first to use the facility's services is Mary Lou Boben, two-year survivor of peritoneal cancer.

“It's beautiful,” she said of the center. “I hate driving to Pittsburgh.”

One of the best things about the facility is the nurses and doctors, she said.

The $21 million, 34,000-square-foot facility offers one-stop access to advanced clinical and support services for Butler-area cancer patients.

The center, located in the Pullman Center Business Park, is part of a $300 million investment in cancer services by Highmark Health and AHN that includes a new academic cancer center at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh and multiple new community-based cancer treatment facilities, according to a recent AHN news release.

The Pullman Center Business Park is a Community Development Corporation of Butler County project, said Joe Saeler, CDC executive director.

“We are definitely excited and welcome them to the community,” Saeler said. “It's a great facility to be located in that area.”

The location was chosen for its proximity to the highest number of patients, availability of parking, access to high-volume traffic routes and the potential for future expansion, if needed, according to the AHN statement.

Stantec, a Butler architectural company; Mascaro Construction of Pittsburgh; and Gateway Engineers of Butler were involved in the construction, which took about nine months.

The two-story cancer center is designed to support a patient-centered care model and provides a wide array of clinical and support services, including state-of-the-art radiation oncology capabilities, medical oncology and infusion therapy, nutritional counseling, social services and access to cancer clinical trials.

“It's all about the patients,” said Cynthia Hundorfean, AHN president and chief executive officer.

Natural light and soft colors create a calming atmosphere at the facility for patients and their families, with quiet exam rooms and comfortable waiting areas.

“At AHN, we are building the future of health care, with the patient at the very center of every investment we make. From same-day appointments to community-based hospitals and cancer centers, our focus is on improving the patient experience at every touchpoint,” Hundorfean said. “AHN Cancer Institute-Butler provides this community with access to high-quality, comprehensive cancer services under one roof and in a location that is most convenient to our patients and their families.”

Another impact on Butler County is the 60 jobs that will be created, Saeler said. Also, people diagnosed with cancer have the opportunity to receive treatment closer to home, he said.

The Butler facility is the network's second new community cancer center to open this year following the opening of the AHN Forbes Outpatient Center in Monroeville last month. New centers in Erie and Westmoreland and Beaver counties will open later this year, according to the news release.

AHN has cared for patients in Butler for more than 20 years at its various hospitals, said Dr. David Parda, chairman of the AHN Cancer Institute.

“This community is a big part of our cancer program, and to bring this level of care and capability to the great people of Butler and this community means a lot to us,” Parda said. “A facility like this allows us to take cancer care to the next level. Ninety-nine percent of everything a cancer patient would need can be delivered right here in this facility.”

The celebration of the facility's opening goes beyond a new building, said Butler County Commissioner Kim Geyer.

“What really matters is what takes place on the inside of the facility,” Geyer said. “The residents of Butler County can be assured that because of this facility and the people who work here and the resources ... right here in our own back yard ... they can receive the quality cancer treatment they deserve.”