Officials from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Lahey Health celebrated the start of construction on a new $1.68 billion hospital dedicated to cancer care in Boston. The facility, located in the Longwood medical area, is described as the only medical center of its kind in New England.
The groundbreaking brings closer the planned split between Dana-Farber and its longtime partner, Brigham and Women's Hospital. In response, Brigham's parent organization, Mass General Brigham, has launched its own cancer institute and is constructing new buildings and renovating existing spaces to compete for oncology patients.
Dana-Farber's chief executive, Dr. Benjamin Ebert, said the team has talked extensively about what the hospital will mean and what they will be able to accomplish, and that seeing the construction begin is motivating.