Huntsman Institute grows to more than 1M sq. ft., opens Kathryn F. Kirk Center

The Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah has opened the Kathryn F. Kirk Center for Comprehensive Cancer Care and Women’s Cancers.

The new center has an entire floor dedicated to breast and gynecologic cancers and additional space for treatment of blood and marrow transplant patients, including immunotherapies and clinical trial options that are only available at a handful of hospitals in the United States. New screening resources will provide patients with lifesaving tools to detect cancers earlier.

“We are so grateful to our dedicated staff at Huntsman Cancer Institute for their countless hours helping plan and design this cutting-edge facility,” said Mary Beckerle, CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute. “Our patients will now have expanded access to advanced medical technology, superior cancer care, clinical trials and research. We are privileged to lead the charge in delivering a cancer-free frontier.”

In addition to more space for screenings, including colonoscopy and mammography, patients will have access to more than 325 innovative clinical trials. Forty-eight inpatient hospital rooms increase capacity by nearly 50 percent and four new state-of-the-art operating rooms will enhance the ability to perform sophisticated cancer surgeries.

“Many generous donors came together to make this latest expansion of Huntsman Cancer Institute possible,” said Peter Huntsman, chairman and CEO of the Hunstman Cancer Foundation. “The Kathryn F. Kirk Center assures that the people of Utah and surrounding areas have access to the world’s best cancer research and patient care delivered by highly trained experts in all types of cancer.” 

“Cancer touches every family and ours is no different. We lost my mother, Kathryn, to cancer,” said Spencer Kirk, son of Kathryn F. Kirk. “She spent her life in service to her family and her community. That spirit guides our family, and we are honored to help further the mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute. The Kathryn F. Kirk Center is only possible because of a community of donors who joined our family to make this comprehensive cancer center a reality.”

Huntsman Cancer Institute raised more than $128 million in philanthropic support for this expansion. The major donors include the Spencer and Kristen Kirk family, Huntsman Foundation, Karen and Scott Smith, The Sigma Chi International Fraternity, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and dōTerra. More than 275 individual gifts helped make the building possible.

Architects with Arch Nexus designed the new hospital addition and Layton Construction was the general contractor. It is located on the north end of Huntsman Cancer Institute and is connected to the existing facility by skybridges.