MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A new Cancer and Surgery Center is coming to McAllen. It will be located on the south side of Pecan Boulevard between Jackson and McColl roads within the 495 Commerce Center development.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved $145,723,402 for the center.
The funding will be provided from funding such as the permanent university fund, and tuition revenue bond, including a $1 million donation from the city of McAllen.
Dr. Michael Hocker, Dean for the UTRGV School of Medicine said the UT Health RGV Cancer and Surgery center will not only benefit students but the community as well.
“When we open the doors we will actually start taking care of patients and when we look at an academic center, I think that’s what sets us apart from just community hospitals where they just provide clinical care, we will provide the clinical care, but we will also be in doing research and looking at better ways to treat cancer,” said Dr. Hocker.
The three-story building will have radiation oncology, medical oncology, a full imaging suite, and a surgery center.
According to Dr. Hocker, the expansion of research and surgery will help cancer patients receive local treatment.
“It was disheartening to know that many of them, you know, who are suffering from cancer, which is tragic in itself, were happened to leave the Valley to get high-quality care and either going to Houston, or to San Antonio and then we have another group of our population that really doesn’t have the means or the capacity to leave the Valley for that care,” said Hocker.
Dr. Hocker said more jobs are also expected with the welcoming of the new cancer center.
“When we look at physicians and staff, probably an additional 500, you know, medical professions that will work on this facility, and ultimately this campus will generate significant employment for the Rio Grande Valley,” said Hocker.
The groundbreaking for the new center is scheduled for October and is set to open in the spring of 2025.
