Wellstar Spalding Medical Center

(GRIFFIN, Ga.) – Excitement was in the air Tuesday as Wellstar began another expansion project, this time starting construction on a new cancer treatment center for the people who live in and around Spalding County.

Construction of the Wellstar Spalding Cancer Center comes after the healthcare system opened new primary care and neurology clinics in 2024 and previously opened or expanded clinics for cardiology, orthopedics, and gastroenterology.

The $6 million facility will provide outpatient care for cancer patients in partnership with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers. Services will include the latest targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy to fight various types of cancer. The center will accommodate outpatient infusion and support services. And to avoid treatment delays, the facility will also include an on-site compound pharmacy with a dedicated clinical pharmacist.

Kevin Smith, president of Wellstar Spalding Medical Center, joined city and county leaders and other Wellstar Health System executives for the ceremonial groundbreaking on Griffin’s hospital campus.

“Wellstar is dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate care close to home,” Smith said. “Our oncology nurse navigators are registered nurses specially trained in cancer care who bring a highly personalized level of guidance to each patient and their family. Together, our team works alongside our patients to build the right care plan for them and offer support at every step of their cancer care journey.”

“This investment in the future of Wellstar Spalding allows people to face cancer with confidence,” said Candice L. Saunders, Wellstar’s president and CEO. “The new facility will provide them access to advanced cancer treatments and infusion therapy in their own community.”

Scheduled to open this winter, the 6,500-square-foot addition will double Wellstar’s ability to serve cancer patients in Spalding County and the surrounding areas while ensuring every person receives the high-quality cancer care they deserve. The facility, which will be built by Parrish Construction, will include eight patient exam rooms, 14 infusion bays, and a dedicated lab.

At Wellstar, our doors are open to everyone. Whether it’s an individual with a life-threatening health crisis or a family looking for a new primary care provider, we’re here to help.

Sometimes, it’s not enough to welcome people in. We also need to go out into the communities we serve to meet people where they live, work and play to ensure they receive high-quality care.

To meet more of our neighbors where they are, we partner with organizations like Ser Familia. Founded in 2001 in the Metro Atlanta area, Ser Familia equips Latino families with the tools, resources and skills they need to thrive. Ser Familia’s extensive wraparound services include support groups, family workshops, mental health counseling and educational programs. In recent years, Ser Familia has expanded its footprint with new locations across Georgia and Puerto Rico.

The power of working together

Wellstar Center for Health Equity has a long-standing relationship with Ser Familia. For example, Wellstar provides grant funding so Ser Familia can employ Spanish-speaking community health professionals. These professionals have a unique ability to provide health information where it is needed most. They can:

• Connect families with health resources in their community, including primary care providers
• Offer language translation services
• Provide health education and information
• Give informal guidance about healthy behaviors

Also, Wellstar physicians participate in Ser Familia community health outreach programs serving Latino communities.

Excitement about a planned health clinic

In the near future, Ser Familia plans to open a health clinic with the support of Someone Cares, Inc. of Marietta, another Wellstar partner. The clinic will provide comprehensive primary care, including health, education and preventive services. Nurse practitioners will see patients at the clinic under the guidance of physicians at Someone Cares. And, if patients need care that Ser Familia does not offer, the nurse practitioners can refer them to a Someone Cares provider.

When organizations like Wellstar and Ser Familia work together, we accomplish far more in our communities than we could separately by making better use of our resources. Most importantly, we help people find the care they need where they need it.

Learn more about Wellstar Center for Health Equity.