Oregon Opens $65M Cancer Center for Rural Patients

For cancer patients in rural Central Oregon, the daily drive to treatment just got a whole lot shorter.

St. Charles Health System opened a $65 million cancer center in Redmond this week, transforming access to care for thousands of patients across north Central Oregon. The two-story facility offers radiation, chemotherapy, surgery, and other critical services that previously required a 17-mile trip to Bend.

The difference is life-changing. About 40% of the region's cancer patients live in Redmond, Prineville, Sisters, Warm Springs, Culver and beyond, and transportation has been their biggest obstacle to treatment.

"Some patients, it's enough of a barrier that we unfortunately see patients forego treatment because they just can't logistically make it work," said Mari Shay, administrative director of cancer services for St. Charles. Those heartbreaking decisions are now less likely to happen.

The new center can serve 300 patients daily. It features 36 exam rooms and a 5,000-square-foot chemotherapy infusion area with 26 treatment bays.

The old Redmond clinic offered only basic chemotherapy in a cramped 2,500-square-foot space. Patients needing radiation or surgery had no choice but to travel.

Construction took two and a half years, and planning began back in 2018. Initially, the project aimed to add just radiation services, but growth during the pandemic showed the community needed comprehensive cancer care close to home.

The Ripple Effect

When cancer treatment moves closer to patients, the benefits extend far beyond convenience. Families spend less time on the road and more time together during difficult treatments.

Daily or twice-daily radiation treatments become manageable instead of impossible. Patients can rest at home instead of exhausting themselves with long commutes.

The facility includes advanced technology like high-dose brachytherapy and a True Beam Linear Accelerator, bringing cutting-edge cancer treatment to a rural community that desperately needs it.

St. Charles is opening the doors to tours and a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 16. For patients across north Central Oregon, this center represents something simple but powerful: the chance to fight for their lives without having to leave their community behind.