About Our Expansion Plans

For more than a decade, Fox Chase Cancer Center has been consistently ranked as one of the nation's top cancer centers.  It is routinely named by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top cancer centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and was ranked 15th in the entire nation in 2008.  Fox Chase Scientists have been awarded two Nobel Prizes and have received numerous other research honors. 

As it has grown in reputation and achievement, Fox Chase also has experienced a tremendous and progressive increase in demand for its services, which has rapidly accelerated over the past several years.  Twenty years ago, on the existing property, the Center saw 1,200 new patients in a year.  In 2006, it saw approximately 6,500 new patients.  And last year, 2007, that number was up to 8,000 patients.  Patient volume increased again in 2008. 

Planning for Expansion

In 2002, Fox Chase first addressed the need for expanded facilities.  It began with what Chancellor Robert Young, MD, (then president & CEO) called a "visioning effort" — a multi-year process involving FCCC physicians, scientists and administrators in a series of discussions about their ideas for the future of the organization.  Together, the Fox Chase family reached the conclusion that its existing facilities will simply not be able to continue to accommodate anticipated growth in volume, and the increasing complexity and collaboration in scientific research. 

A two-tiered expansion program was outlined:  Expansion within the current facility, including a five-floor, 125,000-square-foot addition to the Cancer Prevention Pavilion, creating the Robert C. Young, MD, Pavilion, future home to the Women's Cancer Center; and a new hospital, for which more space would be required.  With that, Fox Chase began the effort to find the land to house the new hospital.

In 2004, Fox Chase began discussions with the City of Philadelphia, the Fairmount Park Commission, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as neighbors of the Northeast Philadelphia location, about annexing a portion of land in neighboring Burholme Park (19.4 acres, to be exact).  Four years later, in 2008, the Fairmount Park Commission, Mayor of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia City Council had all approved the Center's expansion into Burholme Park.   The plans were then submitted to the Philadelphia Orphans' Court for its approval, which is required because the land was donated to the City under a will that stated the property should remain as park land.    This recent Philadelphia Orphans' Court decision is being appealed in higher Pennsylvania courts.

Northeast Philadelphia and Beyond

While Fox Chase continues to vigorously pursue expansion into Burholme Park, there is still considerable uncertainty.  Even if the expansion into Burholme Park is approved, recent analyses have shown that this, by itself, may not be enough to meet all its long-term growth needs.  For these reasons, the Center began looking at additional options for expansion off-site. 

The new radiation therapy facility in Buckingham, approximately 19 miles from the Center's main campus, gives Bucks County residents more convenient access to Fox Chase's nationally recognized cancer treatment regimens, along with access to innovative care, clinical trials and all the resources of an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

Vision Becoming Reality ...

"We at Fox Chase feel there are many reasons to be excited about the Board's decision to move forward with our expansion plans," said Michael Seiden, MD, PhD, president and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center.  "We realize that incremental changes won't be enough to keep up with the demands for excellence in cancer research and treatment." 

For the Center, expansion means more capacity, not only to treat its ever-growing patient base, but also to conduct more of the pioneering scientific research we do that advances cancer treatment and care worldwide.  Expansion means working with the latest technology in the most advanced settings, uncovering new opportunities for fulfilling the Center's research mission, recruiting the most talented scientists, physicians and staff, and, perhaps most importantly, preserving the independent spirit that has made Fox Chase who it is today.