New MACC Fund Center space opens at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin

It's a special place that was designed with the help of current and former cancer and blood disorder patients. The MACC Fund Center at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin opens a new 27,000 square foot space.

Hospital representatives provided the media a tour along with a few patients, their families and doctors.

Alex Van Dyke, 18, has been a patient with the Children's Hospital since he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2010. He was one of the patients that toured the new area.

\"When you walk in, instead of just walking into a gloomy room, it's bright and inviting,\" Van Dyke said.

Now, he just has to visit the hospital once every two months for vital checkups. \"I've been cancer free for 1,653 days,” he said with a smile.

Van Dyke looked at the new facility with his mom and doctor, Dr. Richard Tower, who's a pediatric oncologist.

\"When I first walked into this new space I said, ‘Wow.' The colors really stand out, the light and the space really stands out.\"

“If we can make the cancer treatment process easier, that's a good thing,” he said.

The center helps treat kids with cancer and blood disorders. It has many new additions including the latest technology, exam rooms, a toy shop for donations, open space and an activity center.

\"We're not going to be in different spots,” said Dr. David Margolis, specialist in bone marrow transplant. “Our outpatient units are here and God forbid our patients need to go to ICU we're right there.”

“So all of our kids, our providers, all of our nurses are in one spot,\" he said.

Van Dyke is a Union Grove basketball player who has become an advocate and raised money for the MACC Fund.

\"It's been a real pleasure to watch Alex grow from a pleasant young man into a really vibrant young adult whose giving back to his community,\" Dr. Tower said.

Van Dyke is currently raising money for the MACC Fund as part of the State Boys' Basketball All-Star Game that will be held on June 20th. He said the new facility will make a difference in the lives of the patients.

\"You come in and sit in your room and you watch TV… but now they have this whole room, comfortable rooms with beds, they'll be lots of kids to be around and spend time with, should be a lot better than it was before,” Van Dyke said.

The new space cost $18 million and will open to patients on April 13.

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