Bon Secours St. Francis Clinic, South Carolina

Each year, more than 70,000 adolescents and young adults (AYA) in the United States are diagnosed with cancer. In South Carolina, that’s 10% of all newly diagnosed patients. There has been a shortage of facilities offering AYA-tailored care. McMillan Pazdan Smith worked with a patient advisory board, a visionary group of St. Francis doctors, generous private donors, the WHO’s Roger Daltrey and Teen Cancer America to design a treatment facility that aligns with AYA patients needs. Outdated patient rooms were removed to transform the space into a windowed lounge. The ceiling deck was exposed and painted to maximize height.

A variety of soft modular furnishings were brought in. Family areas were designated for a variety of programming. A flexible kitchen was installed to help support unique nutritional plans, while a dining area can be closed off when needed for private conferences or family meals. The programmed circadian lighting system adjusts both color temperature and light spectrum throughout a 24-hour cycle to create a more holistic healing environment–further supported by natural light and photo-realistic wall art depicting the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. This dedicated unit supports a patient’s whole journey with subtle separation between social and treatment-specific spaces.