Building Better Cancer Care

NEW MARKEY FACILITY IS A PASSION
PROJECT FOR ONE ARCHITECT

Designing the new UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building was more than a job for architect Andrew Schneider – it was a calling.

An associate and project manager at Champlin | EOP Architecture, Schneider designed parts of the interior and exterior of the 550,000-square-foot facility that will serve as the new home for the UK Markey Cancer Center. Champlin | EOP partnered with HGA Architects from Minneapolis on the design for the building that will open in early 2028.

Schneider’s wife lost her mother to breast cancer in 2005, six years before the couple met. And his own mother received a breast cancer diagnosis in 2020. She is now in remission after treatment at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, the first hospital project Schneider ever worked on. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his mother had to receive treatment alone; family members maintained their distance to protect her compromised immune system.

St. Elizabeth is one of the 20 member hospitals in the UK Markey Cancer Center Affiliate Network. “My mother was one of the first patients to utilize that new facility,” Schneider said. “I felt like I was there in some small way, and that was very powerful and meaningful for me. It really hit home for me that this is why I do what I do, and I’ve been reminded of that with almost every project I’ve tackled since then.”

Designing a Building for Patients and Staff

Schneider’s work on the interior of the new building at UK included prioritizing the needs of both patients and staff. That meant incorporating lots of natural light, creating large areas that can accommodate patients and their loved ones, using safe materials, and ensuring the efficient use of space.

He also worked with the project’s mechanical engineers on the building’s air system. It’s important, Schneider said, to make sure patients are comfortable and spaces aren’t too cold or too hot, especially since chemotherapy drugs can make patients sensitive to cold. Other steps that can help patients feel more relaxed include using materials that help regulate temperature and making sure there’s adequate space to store blankets.

A Cancer Building to Be Proud Of

Schneider is most proud of the number of people who gave input on the design, as they are all working toward a common goal of building a world-class facility for Kentuckians. “Every healthcare person that you talk to has a wealth of information, and it’s important to listen to them and let them tell you what they need instead of guessing,” he said. “The team that we had for the UK Markey Cancer Center was awesome. I wish we had that for every project.”

This project helped Schneider realize the breadth of Markey’s reach and how many people travel to Lexington for advanced cancer care. “If you drive through the parking garage, every county is there. It’s not just Fayette County and Jefferson County. It’s Pulaski County and Pike County,” he said.

When Schneider worked on the design for St. Elizabeth, he didn’t know the impact the building would have on his life and his mother’s. He knows the new Markey building will touch others in much the same way.

“Some people don’t know the tremendous impact this facility is going to have on their lives yet,” he said. “They’re not sick or their family members are not sick, but unfortunately that’s coming for some of them. It is truly a blessing to be part of this project that will help people, even though they don’t know it yet. This building is going to propel Kentucky forward as far as access to great healthcare and hopefully change the health of the state.”