The Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Kearney opened on Dec. 16, advancing cancer care in central Nebraska and beyond. The 54,000-square-foot, $52 million facility represents more than just a new building – it embodies a commitment to making advanced cancer treatment accessible to all Nebraskans.

Comprehensive cancer services under one roof

The new center offers integrated cancer care services, including:

• Medical oncology and hematology

• Radiation oncology 

• Infusion therapy

• On-site laboratory and pharmacy

• Genetic counseling

• Survivorship programs

• Nutrition classes

• Community conference room

• Healing arts garden

• Resource center

Bringing care to patients

For William Lo, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist who trained at Harvard Medical School and Washington University in St. Louis and joined Nebraska Medicine in June 2024, the new facility represents an opportunity to address a critical health care gap in rural America.

"We believe that we should be reaching out to the patients, and we should be bringing the care to them instead of the other way around," Dr. Lo says. "This center will allow us to do that – to really bring the care to patients instead of them having to travel for hours and hours."

The difference in patient outcomes can be dramatic when care is readily accessible. Dr. Lo recalls treating a patient in Omaha who needed urgent care for brain metastases. “Imagine a similar patient who could not get to Omaha. The patient could have died from not having access to the treatment. There is urgency to some of these treatments, and not having access to a cancer center near you – it’s very easy to predict what the outcome would be.”

Excellence in rural health care

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Kearney builds upon the expertise of Heartland Hematology and Oncology, led by Cynthia Lewis, MD, and Nick Hartl, MD, who have served the Kearney community for two decades. 

With the opening of the new facility, patients have access to additional resources, including:

• Multidisciplinary tumor boards.

• A wider range of advanced cancer treatments.

• Connection to Nebraska's only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center for possible clinical trial enrollment.

Dr. Lo emphasizes that patients in Kearney can receive the same level of care available in Omaha. Radiation oncology will be delivered with the same technology used at Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Nebraska Medical Center, ensuring consistent treatment quality.

A vision for rural health care's future

For Dr. Lo, choosing to practice in Kearney aligns with his passion for improving rural health care access. His decision to join Nebraska Medicine after completing his residency was influenced by the opportunity to make a difference in Central Nebraska.

"Everyone should be able to receive the same level of care, and if anything, we should be able to bring state-of-the-art care, clinical trials and the best technology to rural Nebraska," Dr. Lo says. 

Dr. Lo’s vision extends beyond traditional cancer care. He sees technology and innovation as pivotal in expanding access to rural communities.

With a PhD in engineering from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dr. Lo envisions advancements in radiation therapy equipment that could increase its mobility, allowing cancer treatment technology to be transported across the state.

“Many years ago, you wouldn’t have imagined you could put a PET CT or PET MRI on a truck, but now that technology is available,” Dr. Lo says. “I always think something is impossible only because you haven’t tried it yet.”

Looking ahead

The center's opening is just the beginning. Plans for future expansion are already in place, with space dedicated to additional radiation equipment and services. Dr. Lo sees the Kearney facility as a model for rural health care delivery across America.

"With the construction of this new cancer center, hopefully, we can set an example for the rest of America and even the rest of the world at some point," Dr. Lo says. "We can tell people that there is a way to advance rural medicine by proactively setting up centers like this to bring cancer care to these patients."

As the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center – Kearney serves its first patients, it sets the standard for the future of rural medicine. And for patients and families in Central Nebraska and beyond who are facing cancer, this means spending less time traveling and more time focusing on what matters most – getting better.