ONTARIO — Avita board member and past chair Charlie Walker noted if you talked to 100 people from Columbus or Cleveland they would say this facility is impossible.
“But it is here, and it is really working,” Walker said.
The team’s hard work and the community’s support made it possible. He thanked the administrative team, Dr. Jeffrey VanDeusen, the community and Avita employees for their dedication to making this a reality.
“I am very appreciative of all of you being here, and I hope none of you ever need this facility,” Walker said.
A facility years in the making
Kim Winkle, vice president of operations at Avita Health System, welcomed community members, elected officials, board members and staff to celebrate the unveiling of the new $15 million, 20,000-square-foot comprehensive cancer center — a project years in the making.
Located at 600 Richland Mall, The Avita Ontario Jody M. Baker Cancer Center, offically opens on Friday, Nov. 6.
Winkle noted donations from Randy and Lisa Payne helped make the project possible. The name of the facility honors Lisa’s sister, Jody, who passed away on July 11, 2022, after a nearly 25-year battle with cancer.
In 2022, Avita opened its Ontario facility after purchasing what was once Sears. After relocating several clinics into the space, more than 20,000 square feet remained available — space that quickly became the foundation for a long-envisioned cancer center.
The board approved the project in early 2024, and construction began in January of this year.
“Here we are 10 months later and it is done,” Winkle said. “It’s crazy what we can do and what Adena helps us to do.”
The new center also created 21 jobs, including six radiation oncology positions.
Adena Corporation, GPD Architect Group, and KORDA Engineering played key roles in bringing the vision to life, Winkle said.
She thanked Senator Mark Romanchuk for awarding a $1.15 million grant through the One Time Strategic Community Investment Plan.
Designed for the patients
“When patients come in, there is one entrance no matter what they come in for,” Winkle said. “You don’t have to park in a parking garage or a mile away and walk. You park and walk in the door.”
The new center features medical and radiation oncology, a 16-bay infusion center, lab, PET-CT, linear accelerator for radiation, comprehensive pharmacy services and a financial counselor.
“Patients are going to receive coordinated care with aspects of their treatment plan managed under one roof,” Winkle said. “That is the beauty of this cancer center. It is all right here.”
Avita will continue to offer medical oncology clinics and infusion centers in Galion and Bucyrus, giving patients additional options for care.
Ontario community comes together to celebrate
Ontario Mayor Kris Knapp expressed his gratitude for Avita’s continued investment in the city and surrounding region.
“Avita revitalized this building that many of us knew when we were young children,” he said. “Since 2013, they have put … millions of dollars into this building for our community.”
Knapp said Avita’s impact extends beyond Ontario, helping to revitalize Richland County and neighboring communities. He also thanked donors and families who supported the project and presented two proclamations — one from the City of Ontario and another from Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
A vision to create care for all
Avita Health System CEO and President Jerry Morasko spoke about the vision behind the new facility.
“We wanted to make it a comprehensive oncology center,” Morasko said. “Which means you don’t just come in here for only radiation or chemotherapy.”
Over the past 15 years, he said Avita has built a medical staff capable of supporting a wide range of cancer treatments.
“We have the largest multi-specialist group north of Columbus and south of Cleveland right now,” he said.
Morasko also thanked VanDeusen, who worked closely with oncologists and radiation oncologists to ensure the facility’s design would allow treatments to flow smoothly and efficiently.
(Pictures from the Avita Ontario Jody M. Baker Cancer Center ribbon-cutting. Credit: Hannah Martin)
