Karmanos Cancer Institute expands into Roseville

ROSEVILLE — Eastpointe-Roseville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Linda Weishaupt became emotional when addressing the medical staff and local officials who attended the Jan. 10 “showcase” of the Karmanos Cancer Institute-Roseville.

“Cancer doesn’t just affect the patient; it affects the family,” she said. “So, it’s really good that you’re here and close by. We’re very excited to have you in the chamber.”

The cancer center, located at 30550 Utica Road, opened in December 2022, and since that time has undergone an expansion and renovation.

The 6,000-square foot facility has eight infusion bays, a negative pressure room, and a pharmacy where the pharmacists can mix the medications needed for patients receiving chemotherapy on the day of treatment. A negative pressure room is a room that keeps patients with infectious illnesses isolated from others.

The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute’s main headquarters is located in Detroit. With the Roseville location up and running, it will be closer for residents so they don’t have to travel to the Detroit headquarters or the Karmanos Cancer Institute at McLaren Macomb, Ted B. Wahby Cancer Center in Mount Clemens. Three doctors are on-site at the medical oncology clinic in Roseville: Tarik Hadid, Ammar Sukari and John Wallbillich.

Hadid specializes in treating patients with multiple cancers, including lung cancer, head and neck cancer, thymic cancer, thyroid cancer, mesothelioma, and esophageal cancers. He is also an associate professor of oncology at the Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit.

Sukari has a special interest in immuno-oncology, head and neck cancer, and thoracic oncology. He is an active clinical and scientific member of Karmanos whose research focuses on improving treatment strategies for patients with head, neck and lung cancers.

Wallbillich is a member of the Gynecologic Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine. Wallbillich specializes in comprehensive surgical and medical management for women with gynecologic cancers.

“One of the major draws to this location is that we’re able to provide patients with the best cancer care close to their homes. Access to clinical trials is very critical in cancer care, and we’re able to access patients for clinical trials here,” Hadid said. “Those are the two major opportunities we provide to patients at Karmanos in Roseville. One of the other things is providing specialty care to the patient. They’ll have more comprehensive care about the disease they are treating.”

Karmanos Cancer Center Vice President Christopher Graunstadt shared the vision of the Karmanos Cancer Institute-Roseville.

“Dr. Hadid, Dr. Wallbillich and others that practice out here know this sort of medicine better than anybody else. They’ll prescribe therapies. We can produce the therapies on-site. And then we have space for our nurses and our oncology patient navigators and the entire support team that cares for patients,” Graunstadt said. “It’s more than just getting chemotherapy and seeing a doctor. Cancer is a journey and we support patients throughout that journey.”

He also talked about the behind-the-scenes work it took to build the cancer facility.

“The building is wonderful. The space is wonderful but you also need a medical records system to be built to support all of this,” he said. “You need to have physicians engaged, and you need to work with Medicare and insurance companies. You need to get supplies delivered. It’s all the little things to go from nothing to a comprehensive cancer center.”

Eastpointe Mayor Pro Tem Cardi DeMonaco Jr., Roseville Mayor Robert Taylor and Fraser Mayor Michael Lesich all attended the showcase.

“I just want to welcome Karmanos to the city of Roseville. The fact that it’s centrally located between Fraser and Eastpointe, it’s going to make our seniors so much happier,” Taylor said. “Convenience for everyone makes everybody feel that much better. Sure, when you have a disease or you have an illness, it’s bad, but the convenience helps. I’ve been up to the Karmanos in Mount Clemens; you folks do a wonderful job. It’s some of the best people, doctors in the world. I want to say I’m glad you’re here.”

Karmanos Cancer Hospital and Network President Brian Gamble also addressed the crowd about the Karmanos Cancer Institute-Roseville.

“McClaren (Health Care System) purchased Karmanos in 2014. Since that time, we’ve been building ambulatory care sites around the state. Today we have 16 sites where cancer services are provided around the state, this site, Roseville, being No. 16,” Gamble said. “This is part of our strategy of taking cancer care to the patients.”

To learn more about the Karmanos Cancer Institute-Roseville, visit karmanos.org/roseville or call (800) KARMANOS.