A yearlong effort by the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center: Redwood City Vision project team to inform and solicit community input on a proposed integrated clinical cancer care and research center has brought valuable insights, project leaders say.

“Stanford Medicine deeply values our partnership with Redwood City and San Mateo County that we have built over many, many years,” said Timothy Seay-Morrison, senior vice president of the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center. “And we wanted to make sure that the cancer center upholds that legacy of collaboration and partnership by connecting early with a community-first engagement approach to listen and really understand the community’s hopes, needs, and concerns.”

The feedback, gleaned from more than 40 community gatherings and presentations as well as stakeholder survey responses in both Spanish and English, brought forward numerous topics of public interest that will continue to be discussed as Stanford Medicine and the city delve deeper into advancing the updated project.

An overwhelming number of survey responses conveyed positive sentiment about what the center could bring to the community – particularly its significance in bringing the world’s best cancer experts together in one place to revolutionize how cancer patients are treated everywhere. Community members have also expressed support for the new center’s ability to expand local access to cancer prevention and care, given the ever-growing burden of cancer.

“Through our engagement process we’ve heard about how closely cancer hits home with so many of our local community members,” said Lucy Wicks, assistant vice president of government and community affairs at Stanford University. “Building Stanford Medicine’s preeminent cancer center in Redwood City strengthens our long and collaborative relationship with our neighbors and the region to promote a vibrant, healthy community and advance innovative cancer research. This cancer center represents a sense of hope for many people.”

Stanford Medicine is seeking a development agreement as part of the cancer center’s approvals. The themes that have emerged from community input will inform future project investments by Stanford Medicine.

Stanford Health Care announces land donation for Bay Area Hope Lodge

According to Wicks, community members have expressed a strong interest in support for affordable housing for the community as well as patient lodging for cancer patients and their families. To support cancer patients who need accommodations near where they receive their care, Stanford Health Care is donating land to further support the American Cancer Society’s vision of a Bay Area Hope Lodge. It will be located at 1125 Arguello St. in Redwood City. This commitment builds on Stanford Health Care’s previous donation of $10 million to the project in April.

The lodge will be the first of its kind on the West Coast and will host patients receiving care, reducing lodging burdens so they can focus on healing. It will serve not only those receiving care at Stanford Health Care but also at other health care providers in the area.

“One area we’re thinking a lot about for our integrated cancer center in Redwood City is the opportunity to reimagine the patient experience by reducing the barriers to seamlessly coordinated, high-touch care,” said Seay-Morrison. “We’re proud to collaborate with the American Cancer Society to help ease the burden of lodging for patients and their families while undergoing treatment.”

Other themes from community input

Several other themes emerged from community feedback, which may be advanced as cornerstones to future development agreement conversations with the city:

• Neighborhood resiliency: There is a shared interest in identifying ways to reduce existing issues with stormwater and flooding by strengthening neighborhood resilience in surrounding areas including Friendly Acres, North Fair Oaks, and residential areas north of Highway 101 adjacent to the salt flats.
• Transportation and mobility investments: Neighbors have also expressed great interest in addressing any potential traffic issues, something Stanford Medicine is looking to integrate into updated project plans.
• Local job opportunities: The community voiced strong interest in jobs that will be created through the development and operation of the proposed cancer center. Stanford Medicine is exploring opportunities to foster local and regional workforce development and inspire early career pathways in health care.
• Wellness opportunities: Community members seek health-focused education, preventive screenings, and wellness programs. Stanford Medicine is considering opportunities to expand these offerings in ways that support the health and well-being of the broader community.

Stanford Medicine will share details this fall on the proposed amendments to the city’s General Plan and the “2013 Stanford in Redwood City Precise Plan” needed to advance the cancer center. The city will hold public meetings to discuss the updated project as it advances in the city’s review process.

Stanford Medicine will hold two community workshops this fall and begin hosting monthly open office hours to gather feedback, share details on the updated project, and discuss how the cancer center can support the community.