The Shadow
ROANOKE, Va. (Nov. 4, 2024) – Carilion leaders, donors and cancer survivors broke ground on the Carilion Taubman Cancer Center on Oct. 30, marking the beginning of construction on the six-story building on the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus.
The building will replace Carilion’s 41-year-old cancer facility on South Jefferson Street and provide space to accommodate the growing number of patients who need care as well as expand treatment options and services.
To honor the historic $25 million contribution from former U.S. Ambassador Nicholas F. Taubman and his wife, Jenny, the new cancer center bears their name.
“Philanthropic support is absolutely vital to this project and increasingly important to our ability as a not-for-profit health system to expand and elevate care, and I’m personally grateful to our many donors for believing in it,” said Nancy Howell Agee, Carilion CEO Emeritus, who with her husband, Steve, kicked off fundraising for the project with a $1 million seed gift in 2019.
To date, the health system has quietly raised $74 million toward the $100 million goal, including more than $1 million from Carilion employees.
Architectural firm HDR, which has extensive international experience designing cancer centers, worked closely with Carilion oncology teams over the past year to design the 257,000-square-foot building, which features improved patient access, outdoor patio spaces and a glass exterior to provide sunlight and views of the Roanoke Valley.
An illuminated staircase, visible from Interstate 581, will serve as a campus “beacon” and display a range of colors to signify different cancer types and observances.
Most significantly, the building will bring together a range of disciplines, advanced technology and sophisticated clinical trials in a single location and expand amenities for patients like Mike Goforth, 55, of Blacksburg and Orion Moses, 9, of Elliston, who participated in the ceremony.
“Expanding cancer care is a strategic priority for Carilion so patients in our communities can receive the care they need right here,” said Steve Arner, President and CEO of Carilion Clinic, which treats approximately 3,500 patients for various forms of cancer each year.
Goforth, associate athletic director and head trainer for Virginia Tech Athletics, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2023. He underwent surgery at Carilion Clinic, followed by radiation and chemotherapy.
Moses successfully fought leukemia after 3 ½ years of chemotherapy, which ended in April.
Blue Ridge Cancer Care, which partners with Carilion to provide medical and radiation oncology services at the existing Cancer Center at 2013 S. Jefferson St., will join Carilion in the new building.
The Carilion Taubman Cancer Center will provide access to a broader range of sophisticated clinical trials and research opportunities through collaborations, including with Blue Ridge Cancer Care and Virginia Tech, which is deepening its commitment to cancer research in Roanoke and across the university.
Carilion’s oncology program also will expand to include support services, such as nurse navigators to shorten the time from diagnosis to treatment, and specialized oncology social workers and mental health therapists, and dedicated chaplains.
The Carilion Taubman Cancer Center is projected to open in 2027.
Like most health systems nationwide, Carilion operates as a not-for-profit entity. All operating income is reinvested in facility upgrades, new equipment and technology, and efforts to attract and retain the best talent. The generous support of donors enhances care and accelerates Carilion’s ability to meet the region’s health needs.
