Design of the KAC Center
The design of the KAC Center is unlike any other facility in the country. Children will receive unparalleled medical care in a place that is so much more than a treatment center…a central landscaped courtyard will be rich with greenery, colorful flowers, and the soothing sounds of running water. The central atrium will be tall and filled with cheerful, natural light. Through this maze of beauty, the children, their families and their doctors will pass to their treatment, their games, and their entertainment.
A flexible open gym area will be home to all kinds of group activites and games. A small theater will offer hours of entertainment. An indoor playground and tot lot will welcome children of all ages, races and backgrounds. Playrooms filled with toys and games will promote healthy interaction with others who have much in common. An indoor pool will offer a place for release and relaxation. A multi-media room will feature a warming fireplace and cozy retreat. To complete the recreational activities, a miniature golf course and arcade with Skee Ball, pinball and all the latest high-tech games will provide hours of fun and enjoyment to children who need it most. Plus, an ongoing program of activities and events will be scheduled throughout the year.
In the midst of all of this energy and excitement, there will be nature walks, reading areas, outdoor gardens, a chapel, places for peace, prayer and quiet moments with family. The medical suites will provide all aspects of care — from physician consultations to suport groups to specific treatments — all in rooms that are cheery and bright. A pharmacy, laboratory, offices for resident physicians and conference rooms will be located on site for the patient's convenience.
Its Healing Powers
There are healing powers hiding in everyday life. We all know what a smile or an encouraging word can do for our spirits. Beyond this, studies show that the proper balance of color, music, art, and light can actually enhance recovery. KAC's research team has dedicated itself to making sure each of these elements is maximized in the design of the campus. As a result, the KAC Center will be an uplifting place that stimulates healing of the mind, body and spirit.
Most importantly, the KAC Center will be a place of laughter and fun, words rarely associated with a treatment center for cancer. This unique, child-friendly environment will provide a playroom, arcade, theater, open gym, indoor playground, entertainment and more, as well as beautiful, quiet places for private reflection. All of this will be adjacent to a state-of-the-art treatment facility where families can be confident knowing that the specialists are unsurpassed, the equipment is cutting-edge and the treatment technologies are groundbreaking.
Providing Treatments as Part of a Day of Fun
Providing treatments as part of a day of fun will distract the children from dwelling on their illness. But it cannot be done without the expertise of forward-minded professionals. This is why the physicians, technicians and support staff we accept at the KAC Center will be fully scrutinized to meet the highest standards of care. Only those physicians with exceptional backgrounds, proven track records and "kid-friendly" personalities will be considered. With everything the KAC Center will offer, we believe it will also be the ideal place for hospital oncology departments throughout the tri-state area to establish satellite offices for their patients who might live in the area.
The resident specialists at the KAC center will have diverse backgrounds but one common belief…that healing is encouraged not only through their breakthrough medical treatments but also through the positive energy that will define this unique center for children.
No room that says gloom will be found at the KAC Center. Consultation rooms, waiting rooms, treatment rooms will all be bright and open, giving a sense of comfort and freedom to the children and their families at a time they may be feeling anything but that. Through the use of music, art and colors, an aura of warmth and understanding will be evident throughout the facility, creating a place where children can come to heal… inside and out.
Recreational Activities
The recreational activities offered at the center will be available to children who have cancer-related illnesses. For the many who will receive care from the highly-accredited medical staff on-site, "treatment day" will offer the perfect balance of medical and emotional needs for each child.
A visit to the center will be a comfortable experience right from the start. A bright and colorful reception area will greet families who will gain entrance through a special automated card system. Here KAC patients will be interviewed and their medical records will be stored. After careful review of key medical information, physical examination and overall evaluation, the doctors will develop a schedule that would combine the most successful blend of treatment, recreation and quiet time for each individual child. Of course, the children and their families have the option of coming in solely for treatment or spending the entire day enjoying the activities and programs offered at the recreation center, making the treatment just one part of an otherwise enjoyable day.