As the Upstate of South Carolina grows, Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute plans to grow with it. Gibbs will be well prepared to care for cancer patients throughout the Greenville-Spartanburg area and beyond. Gibbs at Pelham broke ground on its new facility on Tuesday, May 17 2016, which is scheduled for completion in mid-2018.

“We are building this with the anticipation of growth in the community,” said David Church, DHA, Vice President of Oncology and Support Services for Gibbs. “This cancer center will serve generations to come and further our mission as a community and academic cancer and research center.”

Already a nationally recognized cancer center, Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute at Pelham is expanding with the construction of a new 198,000-square-foot facility on Highway 14 in Greer, S.C., in Spartanburg County, on the existing Pelham Medical Center campus. The new cancer center will be easily accessible to five million people within a 100-mile radius of Pelham Medical Center. Medical teams will work together in this seven-story building, where multidisciplinary experts from numerous specialties will discuss each patient's healthcare plan and treatment options, including access to cutting-edge clinical research.

“We are dedicated to bringing the best science and research — with a strong focus on genetics — directly to patients. No longer will patients have to travel out of town to get the very best care,” said Timothy Yeatman, MD, Director and President of Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute. “Because we are building from the ground up, we have designed a facility that is conducive to teamwork. We will team up the best minds in medicine to care for our patients.”

Gibbs at Pelham is close to the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, allowing easy access for individuals who fly to the area to be cared for by the experts at Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute.

This project's economic development brings an estimated $100 million to the rapidly growing Greer area, according to Church.

“We have a vision to become a destination cancer center where people throughout the region can access cutting-edge care and compassion,” said James Bearden, MD, Vice President of Clinical Research and Associate Director of Clinical Research. “This groundbreaking is making our vision a reality.”

To make this happen, the Spartanburg Regional Foundation launched a $15 million capital campaign in November 2015. More than $11.5 million has already been raised by the community.

“The Foundation was charged with raising $15 million to help aid the health of patients facing a diagnosis of cancer, and it has been an exciting challenge. The community has already pledged more than $11.5 million to this important project,” said Foundation Executive Director Kristy Caradori. “We're committed to help patients and assist with broadening cancer care throughout the Upstate.”

The cancer center, named for Jimmy and Marsha Gibbs, opened its doors in Spartanburg in 1999. Now with 15 years of experience, Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Center is growing as a destination cancer center itself.

“Throughout my career as an oncology physician, I have developed a strong passion to grow world-class cancer care and research in the Upstate of South Carolina,” said Gibbs radiation oncologist and campaign co-chair Julian Josey, MD. “Breaking ground on this cancer center today is bringing us even closer to that goal.”

Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute is a community cancer center with world-class physicians who approach cancer with the same sophisticated tools and methods seen at an academic hospital. In 2014, Gibbs at Pelham became the first cancer center in South Carolina to use the CyberKnife® M6™ Radiosurgery System. An advanced radiation delivery device, CyberKnife uses robotic tracking technology to fight cancer, eliminating tumors without surgery or even an overnight stay in the hospital. In 2015, Gibbs was the first cancer center in the United States to use the InCise™ Multileaf Collimation System with the CyberKnife® M6™, which helps to further shorten radiation times.

Services provided at Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute include infusion, clinical research, integrative therapy, oncology rehabilitation, medical oncology and radiation oncology. In addition to Spartanburg and Greer, Gibbs Cancer Center & Research Institute has locations in Gaffney and Union, S.C.