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Most everyone has been impacted by cancer, whether it is a firsthand experience or of someone we love or know. According to , 39.5% of men and woman will be diagnosed with some form of cancer in their lifetime. And for those who’ve been directly impacted and have had to live through this terrible disease, they know the impact it has on our lives and the lives of others. It’s unfathomably scary when a person hears they or someone they love has cancer. It’s a feeling of helplessness in knowing that at a time when the feeling of fear is overwhelming, people must muster the courage to put up the fight of their lives.

For those in Burke County, it also likely meant having to travel far from home in order to receive the care they need to help them in that fight. But with the opening of the $38 million cancer center, local residents battling cancer and their families can be comforted knowing they can find that care in their own backyard.

Along with the state-of-the-art equipment the new facility holds to provide the medical care patients need, it also has touches that attend to the personal side of cancer, such as having an additional chair at infusion stations so a family member or friend can be there to provide comfort. Having the ability to look out into the serenity garden while getting treatment can help to calm a patient at a time when stress can overwhelm.

The expansion is part of a larger system-wide expansion of UNC Blue Ridge called “Project Forward,” that will include a $118 million expansion of the ��ɫ�� hospital. Upon its completion, the new six-story facility not only will expand its capacity for today, it will provide the space for future expansion. It also will serve as a trauma center for the area, where previously those who needed Level I trauma care would have to be transported to Asheville, Charlotte, Winston-Salem or another large city. With the addition of the helipad atop the new building, the expansion will help to expedite treatment that, ultimately, will lead to many more lives being saved. In the case of severe vehicle crashes, accidents or other traumatic events, every second counts when it comes to getting needed care.

During the grand opening ceremony, Valdese Mayor Charlie Watts called the new cancer center a “symbol of hope” for our community. Indeed, he is correct. All residents of Burke County should be thankful for the investment UNC Health Blue Ridge is making in our communities. It’s more than than just one of dollars and buildings, it’s an investment in our well-being, our future and in hope.