GRAYSLAKE – After being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, Pam Franscella's daily life could have become unbearably hectic.

But it didn't.

The Gurnee resident said she was thrilled when she learned that she would be able to undergo six weeks of radiation treatments – five days a week – at the newly opened cancer center at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital's Grayslake Campus.

Receiving treatments at a nearby facility made fighting breast cancer more bearable, Franscella said.

"Everything was so close," she said. "There was really no effect on my life."

Franscella was one of several dozen community members to attend Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital's grand opening ceremony April 14 for the new cancer center and a new outpatient surgery center at the Grayslake Campus.

The $49 million development adds 70,900 square feet of new construction and 7,500 square feet of renovation to the hospital's Grayslake location, which opened seven years ago.

Expanding the Grayslake Campus brings needed services to a growing area, said Dean Harrison, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, parent corporation of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.

"For 146 years, Northwestern Memorial has been – and will continue to be – committed to filling the health care needs of our community," he said. "Our strategic vision is to build a world-class hospital system."

The cancer center at the Grayslake Campus opened in October. It features state-of-the-art radiation equipment and chemotherapy and infusion treatments, in addition to offering support groups, rehabilitation facilities, holistic care and wellness and nutrition services.

Expected to open later this month, the outpatient surgery center includes four operating suites and 10 private, post-operation recovery rooms that include flat-screen televisions and electronic medical record stations.

As she led a tour of the outpatient surgery center during the grand opening event, Kim Nagy, vice president and chief nursing officer at Lake Forest Hospital, noted the importance of how the center was designed.

"It's flow – it's all about patient flow," she said. "And if you get that wrong, you're going to have problems."

In the cancer center, Dr. Joseph Imperato, medical director of radiation oncology at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital, stressed how beneficial it will be for both patients and hospital staff to be near the outpatient surgery center.

"It's extremely nice to have the two centers next to each other," he said. "We really work together as one physical team, which you can't do if you're separated."

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital's recent Grayslake Campus expansion took three years of planning and construction, officials said. In addition to the two new centers, the facility offers advanced diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, cardiac testing, physical and speech therapy and an emergency center that treats about 32,000 patients each year.

Recognizing how many people have sought out the Grayslake Campus for treatment, Imperato said the demand for services at the facility just continues to grow.

"We are going gang-busters," he said. "Clearly, there is a huge need in this community."

Want to learn more?

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital's Grayslake Campus is located at 1475 E. Belvidere Road. Learn more at www.lfh.org/northwesterngrayslake.