SARASOTA, Fla. (BLOOM) — On Friday, June 13, a group of donors, doctors, staff, and leaders came together at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s Sarasota campus. They participated in a special ceremony to write messages of hope and healing on the walls of the future Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion, an outpatient facility scheduled to open in early 2026.

This wall-signing event was a significant milestone for the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, underscoring SMH’s expanding dedication to providing top-tier cancer care to the Sarasota area.

Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder, along with Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation Vice President of Strategic Philanthropy Patrick McQuillan, expressed gratitude to donor Susan Milman for her substantial contributions to the pavilion and her continuous support of cancer care projects. Verinder also paid tribute to Sheila Jellison and her family, whose generous gift enabled the creation of the Jellison Cancer Institute.

“This is a powerful moment,” Verinder said. “Our vision to transform cancer care truly is becoming a reality. Thousands of local cancer patients now receive the highest level of care and support close to home.”

Attendees, including Milman, the Jellisons, physicians and staff, signed a concrete wall that will remain part of the pavilion’s foundation, symbolizing their lasting support for future patients.

The seven-story, 200,000-square-foot facility will include a full spectrum of outpatient services, such as screenings, diagnostics, treatment, clinical trials and survivorship support. A pedestrian bridge will link the new building to the existing inpatient Oncology Tower across Waldemere Street.

The Milman-Kover Cancer Pavilion will feature:

• A breast health center with advanced imaging technologies
• Outpatient surgery suites with high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy
• Radiation oncology and infusion services
• Diagnostic imaging with state-of-the-art CT and MRI equipment
• Oncology physician practices and integrative care clinics
• Patient navigation and lifetime support services

The pavilion is the third major addition to the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, which also includes an eight-story inpatient tower opened in 2021 and a Radiation Oncology Center that launched in 2020.

For more information, visit smh.com/cancer.