Hannibal Regional brings cancer care back to small community

The Kirksville Cancer Center is being designed for future expansion.

Rendering courtesy of RDG Planning & Design

After being discontinued in 2022, cancer care services are coming back to the Kirksville, Mo., area with the planning of a new 22,850-square-foot clinic

The Hannibal Regional Healthcare System, which recently broke ground on the Kirksville Cancer Center scheduled to open in 2027, says the facility is a direct response to patient need. After purchasing the Kirksville facility, Hannibal Regional held community discussions to identify unmet health care needs. Those conversations quickly revealed an urgency to restore cancer care services, as some local residents reported having to travel nearly 200 miles round-trip for their cancer treatments.

When the facility broke ground, Hannibal Regional President and CEO Todd Ahrens remarked that it was “a very important step to bringing radiation oncology back to Kirksville, as we break ground on our new, state-of-the-art cancer center.”

The Kirksville Cancer Center, designed by RDG Planning & Design, will house both radiation and medical oncology services and integrate specialty patient care with shared staff spaces to enhance the delivery of care.

Exterior and interior design features include covered canopy entrances and intuitive wayfinding, along with collaborative and individual workspaces and additional staff amenities. The design strategically leverages project timing to allow flexibility in specifying equipment for the CT simulation room and linear accelerator vault. The facility is being designed to accommodate future growth, including the addition of a linear accelerator machine.