James Demetriades looks out his office window at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center and watches as a mixture of concrete and terracotta is poured, preparing the foundation for steel beams-the building blocks for the newest cancer center in central New Jersey. The campus also overlooks the Millstone River, a consistent reminder of the responsibility bestowed on the health system to be a good steward of its environment.
For Demetriades, Penn Medicine Princeton Health's CEO, environmental sustainability is at the heart of the new 200,000-square-foot cancer center. An estimated 40 percent or more of people in the community may one day have a cancer diagnosis. This new project aims to take their healing to a new level, with cancer care that minimizes the effect on the planet-making the surrounding community a safer and healthier place to live.
The vision for the new cancer center, which is set to open May 2028, is reminiscent of the medical center, which was founded over 100 years ago and moved to its current modern building in Plainsboro in 2012-designed for healing the patient's mind, body, and soul. This also affords more access to people living in the Princeton community to leading edge cancer care that will blend Penn Medicine's breakthroughs with human-centered care close to home.
"There is something called tyranny of distance. When you are being treated for cancer, patients can find greater comfort and convenience closer to home," Demetriades said. "The goal is to bring what is offered at the Abramson Cancer Center closer to our New Jersey home." At the new cancer center, natural light will fill private rooms, intriguing art will capture the attention of patients going through treatment, and a calming ambiance will make the building feel more like a wellness retreat than a hospital.
