The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Kearney opened its doors to the public on Monday.
Along with traditional cancer treatments, it offers resources such as comfort care to provide a more holistic approach to treatment.
Kyle Skiermont, senior vice president of operations, said with the new facility comes an opportunity for patients to receive care closer to home.
“When you work in cancer, you hope that nobody ever needs your service, it's something that you don't want anyone to ever have to come to you,” Skiermont said. “But if they do, you want to ensure that they have the access to the absolute best care and the absolute most cutting-edge clinical trials, and whenever possible, that they can do that close to home.”
It also means a stronger path for education for medical students, he added.
“We think that there's countless opportunities going forward for new opportunities, potentially for not just medical students, but for nursing students, for lab technicians, for pharmacy students,” Skiermont said. “All of the different services that are open in that building also become a training site for people who may be training in Omaha, but also quite likely may be training right across the street on the UNMC Kearney campus as well.”
The center, which was an approximately $52 million project, offers radiation oncology as well as infusion treatment and a resource center for what Skiermont called “comfort care.” It offers wig fittings, skincare and a massage therapist to help give patients the most holistic care possible.
He said that while the building is a great feat, it’s the team that will make it a place of important care.
“This is a fantastic building,” Skiermont said. “But without the team that is working inside of it, without the people, both our providers, our staff and the patients who come there, it's really just that it's a fancy building. I think having that combination makes it truly special.”