A steel beam that will soon crown the University of Chicago Medicine’s new cancer pavilion is more than just a structural element — it’s a symbol of hope, dedication and collaboration.

Covered in more than 3,400 signatures and heartfelt messages, the 31-foot-long beam reflects the shared journey of those impacted by the disease.

At a ceremony held last Tuesday, UChicago Medicine leadership, staff, patients and community members gathered at the Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery on the UChicago campus to sign the beam as a way to honor cancer patients, clinical progress and pavilion’s construction teams.

“About 16 months ago, we broke ground on this special building — today is a major milestone,” said Kunle Odunsi, MD, PhD, Director of the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCCCC). “Within this cancer pavilion, patients will find not only treatments but also hope from our groundbreaking clinical trials, personalized therapies and compassionate care.”

Set to open as the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion in 2027, the 575,000-square-foot facility will be the first freestanding center in Illinois dedicated solely to cancer care and research.

‘There’s hope for tomorrow’

For Garry Belony, RN, signing the beam was a full-circle moment. The South Side resident was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2022 and underwent surgery and follow-up care at UChicago Medicine, the same place where he works.

“I want to tell people: Don’t be afraid,” said Belony, 54. “With the new pavilion, there’s hope for tomorrow. And it’s on the South Side of Chicago.”

Belony was joined by two others — Johnny Maxwell, who survived stomach and colon cancer; and Candace Henley, a colon cancer survivor — to ring the ceremonial bell that marks the end of a person’s cancer treatment.

Afterward, hands met steel as guests used colored markers, each representing a different type of cancer awareness, to personalize their message on the beam.

Others who were impacted by cancer also had an opportunity to sign the beam while it sat in the west lobby of the Center for Care and Discovery for five days. It became the final piece of steel to be placed atop the pavilion during a topping-out ceremony on February 4, representing completion of the structural framework.

“This beam symbolizes more than structural progress,” said Thomas Jackiewicz, President of the University of Chicago Health System. “It embodies a collaboration, determination and commitment of everyone involved in making this vision a reality.”

Also providing remarks were Kate Van Zeyl, Turner Construction’s Vice President and General Manager for Chicago, and Rev. Marsha Sumner, M.Div., Director of Spiritual Care at UChicago Medicine.

History of progress, compassion

UChicago Medicine received its first designation from the National Cancer Institute in 1973, and its physician-scientists have made many key discoveries that have shaped cancer care.

Bolstered by collaboration across UChicago, the new pavilion will support “innovative high-impact cancer research to enable discoveries that change the trajectory of care and improve outcomes,” said Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs.

Still, the building is only the foundation, said Mitchell C. Posner, MD, Chief Clinical Officer for the UCCC and the health system’s cancer services line. “The patients are everything,” said Posner, who performed cancer surgeries on Belony and Maxwell.

Having a world-class facility on the South Side will benefit an area where residents face significantly higher rates of cancer, said Henley, who serves as chair of UChicago Medicine’s Community Advisory Council. She recalled having to travel beyond the South Side years ago for her care.

“To every patient and family member who be walking through the doors, you deserve this,” Henley said. “This pavilion is what we have been fighting for: the type of care that every human being deserves to have.”