Roswell Park breaks ground on expanded Broadview Community Outreach and Engagement Center

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - It was an exciting day for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, as the center broke ground Wednesday on an expansion of its Broadview Community Outreach and Engagement Center.

The expansion of the facility at 907 Michigan Avenue will advance efforts to reduce the burden of cancer by providing additional space to deliver evidence-based cancer prevention and screening programs, community-engaged research initiatives, patient navigation services, and partnership-driven activities designed to address cancer disparities and improve health outcomes.

“The growth and vibrancy of the Roswell Park Broadview Community Outreach and Engagement Center and all the activities it supports represent a major step forward in our mission to ensure that every community has access to lifesaving cancer education, prevention, screening and care,” says Dr. Candace Johnson, president and CEO at Roswell Park. “Through the partnership of New York State, Broadview Federal Credit Union and many community groups, we are able to meet people where they are and build trusted relationships that improve health and save lives.”

Since opening in 2023, the Roswell Park Broadview Center has become a vital community resource, welcoming over 20,000 visitors. These milestones underscore the facility’s role as a hub for community engagement, health promotion and cancer outreach.

This addition of approximately 4,600 square feet to the existing 5,900-square-foot structure will allow Roswell Park’s outreach teams to broaden their reach and deepen their impact, particularly among historically underserved populations. The new wing will include a classroom, a large collaboration room, two community co-working rooms, additional public gathering space, offices and hoteling workstations.

“From expanding access to comprehensive lung cancer screenings to mandating insurance coverage of scalp cooling systems for patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and providing record funding for health care services across New York, the Senate Democratic Conference has continually worked to ensure New Yorkers facing a cancer diagnosis, regardless of their zip code, have equal access to the support resources they need,” says State Senate Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore Andrea Stewart-Cousins. “The H.O.P.E. Center wing will build upon New York State’s cancer mitigation efforts by expanding access to preventive care services for East Side residents and Western New Yorkers in the heart of Buffalo’s historic Fruit Belt neighborhood. Today’s groundbreaking underscores New York’s ongoing commitment to improving healthcare access for historically underserved, marginalized, and remote communities across the state.”

The center was formally designated as the Roswell Park Broadview Community Outreach and Engagement Center in June following a transformative $1 million gift from Broadview Federal Credit Union in support of health equity, cancer outreach and community wellness initiatives across Western New York.

“This groundbreaking marks an exciting next chapter as Roswell Park moves forward with the expansion of its Community Outreach and Engagement Center in Buffalo’s Fruit Belt,” says New York State Sen. April Baskin. “This expansion will allow Roswell Park to reach even more people with lifesaving cancer prevention, screenings, education and support, while continuing to address health disparities in our community. I am proud to have secured $2 million to help make this project possible, and grateful to Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her support of this investment and for joining us in Buffalo to celebrate this important milestone.”