Mass General Brigham Continues to Trailblaze Cancer Research
By Fay Harvey
BOSTON — On Dec. 11, Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member organization of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, announced a $100 million gift from Boston entrepreneur Herb Chambers to support construction of a state-of-the-art space that will provide world-class cancer care.
The Herb Chambers Tower, which will be part of the larger Phillip and Susan Ragon Building project, will offer an array of cancer care treatment and technology. The nearly 1-million-square-foot tower will be home to an 8,000-square-foot rooftop garden, a 24/7 urgent cancer care center and re-imagined indoor and outdoor areas. The care spaces — designed in tandem with patients, caregiver and family members — will house 228 acute care inpatient beds alongside 32 intensive care unit (ICU) beds.
“Patients around the world turn to Mass General Brigham for expert, compassionate cancer care and these new, advanced facilities will allow us to meet their needs in a way they expect and deserve.” said Marcela del Carmen, MD, president, Massachusetts General Hospital, in a statement. “From the moment patients arrive and throughout their treatment and recovery — the Herb Chambers Tower will create a welcoming environment that promotes healing, health and hope.”
The Herb Chambers Tower is slated to be completed in 2027, while the Phillip and Susan Ragon Building is expected to open in 2030. When complete, the Ragon Building project will span more than 1 million square feet across five continuous podium level floors, two inpatient towers and six below-ground levels for parking and support services. It will include 482 new private, single-bed rooms, 23 cardiovascular operating rooms and interventional procedure rooms, 100 infusion bays, 120 exam rooms, 13 imaging modalities and an estimated 46,000 square feet of public space.
Phase 1 of the project will focus on constructing the below-ground parking levels and one tower, with the initial first side of the building opening in 2027.
Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital system-based research entity in the nation, released its vision for a new integrated, patient-focused cancer care facility in September. Over the course of the previous 10 months, the organization held in-depth workshops with clinicians, researchers, patients and system leaders to develop strategic care plans. Equity, rapid intake, early diagnosis, and research-driven treatment were major topics of discussion. Since holding the workshops, Mass General Brigham has continued to align its cancer care with the community’s vision, additionally bridging the gap between access to healthcare and underserved communities.
“The frontier of cancer care is evolving, and we must shift away from treating cancer to treating patients with cancer,” said Anne Klibanski, MD, president and CEO, Mass General Brigham, in a statement. “Our vision for Mass General Brigham Cancer is responsive to current and future trends in the cancer landscape and draws on our unique strengths to deliver the best care throughout our patients’ lives.”