Blood Cancer Healing Center marks first anniversary with holistic care approach

UC physician researcher speaks with Local 12

The University of Cincinnati Cancer Center's Eric Vick and Kelly Acker spoke with Local 12 about the first anniversary of the opening of the Blood Cancer Healing Center dedicated to helping patients overcome the challenges of blood cancers through a comprehensive approach that addresses medical, emotional and spiritual needs.

"We are focusing on trying to provide all manner of care for our patients - obviously medical," said Vick, MD, PhD, instructor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology in UC’s College of Medicine and a UC Health attending physician at the Cancer Center’s Blood Cancer Healing Center. "But we have our chaplaincy program that is expanding and we're working on increasing our nutrition education."

Kelly Acker, UC Health assistant vice president of cancer operations, said clinical operations are expanding in the building.

"We are adding another 17 beds for inpatient stays and then we'll be expanding our clinic and our lab presence as well," said Acker.

As the clinical expansion continues, the Cancer Center is preparing to open additional research laboratory spaces for new cancer treatment discoveries and wellness areas for food as medicine and mind and movement therapies at the Blood Cancer Healing Center.

Read or watch the Local 12 story.

Watch the full interview with Vick and Acker on Local 12's What's Happening in Health.

The Cancer Center's Emily Curran, MD, spoke with Fox 19 about the Blood Cancer Healing Center's first anniversary. Watch the Fox 19 segment.

Featured photo at top of the outside of the Blood Cancer Healing Center. Photo/Andrew HIgley/UC Marketing + Brand.

Related Stories

1

Exploring GLP-1 drugs for Alzheimer’s prevention

March 30, 2026

University of Cincinnati researchers, funded by the NIH, are studying how GLP-1 drugs may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease by analyzing real-world data from patients with mild cognitive impairment. Learn more about this groundbreaking UC Alzheimer’s research.

2

AI as a creative partner

March 27, 2026

University of Cincinnati architecture professor Ming Tang discusses how AI enhances design, research, and student creativity in the XRLab and the classroom.

3

Humanizing AI

March 27, 2026

Professor Yingying Sun uses AI tools, including custom ChatGPT applications, to teach Industrial Design students at UC how to develop judgment, cross-disciplinary understanding, and creative problem-solving skills.