Hannibal Regional Healthcare System Breaks Ground on Kirksville Cancer Center
The new cancer center, designed by RDG Planning & Design, will restore critical radiation oncology services to Northeast Missouri, reducing travel burdens and expanding access to life-saving care.
Following its purchase of a clinic in Kirksville, Missouri, Hannibal Regional experienced a rapid increase in demand for services, prompting a community conversation about unmet healthcare needs. Through these discussions, Hannibal Regional quickly identified the pressing need for radiation oncology services for cancer patients in the Kirksville market, which had been discontinued in the summer of 2022. This lack of life-saving service created an undue burden on hundreds of area residents who had to travel nearly 200 miles round-trip daily for cancer treatments, should they receive a diagnosis that required radiation oncology.
In response, Hannibal Regional began taking steps to invest in this service in Kirksville and, on December 2, 2025, celebrated the official groundbreaking for a new cancer center. More than 100 community members and civic leaders attended the event to celebrate the facility, including cancer patients who spoke firsthand about the burden they faced during their cancer treatments due to the community’s lack of radiation oncology services.
“Today marks a very important step to bringing radiation oncology back to Kirksville, as we break ground on our new, state-of-the-art cancer center,” said Hannibal Regional President and CEO Todd Ahrens.
Spanning 22,850 SF, RDG’s design for the new Kirksville Cancer Center will help bring world-class cancer care to the area, providing access to advanced treatment in a compassionate and patient-centered environment. The facility will house both radiation and medical oncology services, integrating specialty patient care with shared staff spaces to enhance the delivery of care.
Covered canopy entrances and intuitive wayfinding, along with collaborative and individual workspaces and additional staff amenities, create a space that enhances the experience for both patients and providers. In addition, RDG’s design strategically leverages project timing to allow flexibility in specifying equipment for the CT simulation room and linear accelerator vault. Ultimately, the facility will accommodate future growth, including the addition of a linear accelerator machine.
“Breaking ground on the Kirksville Cancer Center represents the kind of work we’re proud to be part of: projects rooted in community impact,” said RDG Healthcare Planner and Senior Partner Kerry Cheung, AIA. “Our focus has been on creating a facility that supports patients and care teams alike, with a design that is flexible, intuitive and centered on dignity and comfort. And we’re honored to have a hand in bringing this critical service to this underserved community.”
Hannibal Regional’s Legacy of Hope capital campaign has raised more than $5 million to support the construction of the Kirksville Cancer Center. The center is expected to start receiving patients in 2027.