The five-story, 137,000 square-foot free-standing cancer center will feature medical, surgical and radiation oncology services under one roof.
And, if you’re looking for the holistic support services that affirm the Reimagining Cancer Care theme, they’re all around, too — with a wig and prosthetic studio, a teaching kitchen and access to yoga, reiki and music therapy.
All of this comes with private infusion rooms and a calming garden terrace — as well as short-term and extended-stay treatment spaces where patients can go for treatments that may prevent a visit to the emergency department.
But, when Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, celebrated Tuesday night breaking ground on the center that will sit on its Livingston campus, it was as much about where the facility is located as what it will provide.
The state-of-the-art center will serve those in northern New Jersey — a hub for the integrated oncology services offered by RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The facility, which aims to be completed in 2025, will bring the innovative care model of the Rutgers Cancer Institute that is transforming the delivery of cancer services across the state — its groundbreaking discoveries, clinical research and expertise from Rutgers Cancer Institute to patients — even closer to home.
Or, closer to where those suffering from cancer want to be.
Cooperman Barnabas CEO Richard Davis certainly feels that way.
“The new Cancer Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center will be a regional destination for cancer care, building on the medical center’s longstanding legacy of clinical expertise and compassionate, patient-centered diagnosis and treatment,” he said. “We are celebrating the dawn of a new era in world-class cancer care.”
Dr. Michael Scoppetuolo, the medical director of the Cancer Center at CBMC, said the center’s partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey will give patients access to the most advanced treatment options, including immunotherapy, blood and marrow transplantation, CAR T-cell therapy and clinical trials — many of which are not available elsewhere.
Patients no longer need to travel far for the latest treatments, Scoppetuolo said.
“A cancer diagnosis is life-changing, and, for many patients and their families, it is the beginning of a long and sometimes daunting journey,” he said. “To that end, I am excited about the research and the top-quality patient care that will take place at this new center.
“We have an extraordinary medical staff and access to clinical trials and research, which sets us apart from other institutions in the state and puts us at the leading edge.”
The new center’s construction is part of the expansion of oncology services provided by RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, as well as an ongoing transformation of the medical campus.
About Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, formerly known as Saint Barnabas Medical Center, is New Jersey’s oldest nonsectarian hospital. Opened in 1865, the 597-bed institution is one of the largest health care providers in the state, treating more than 32,000 inpatients and 80,000 emergency department patients each year.
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey — the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center — brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.
Playing a key role in the hospital’s continued growth is the generosity of Leon and Toby Cooperman, who in 2021 made a historic $100 million gift to the medical center.
Bruce Schonbraun, chairman of the board of trustees at CBMC, expressed his gratitude.
“We applaud the Cooperman Family Foundation for their longstanding support of our hospital and our entire community,” he said. “Their extraordinary and selfless generosity has enabled this facility to expand its footprint and attract world-class physicians to bring the best health care available to northern New Jersey.”
Dr. Steven Libutti, director of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and senior vice president, oncology services, at RWJBarnabas Health, said the facility is the latest step in a greater vision.
“Breaking ground on a new Cancer Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center is the latest example of how RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey are reimagining cancer care for the communities we serve,” he said.
“Together, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, are transforming cancer services in the region — bringing the latest discoveries and extraordinary, comprehensive cancer care close to home.”
