VERDE VALLEY, Ariz. – On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for its new, centralized cancer center on the Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) campus in Cottonwood. The event, made possible by the NAH Office of Philanthropy, welcomed over 200 people from around northern Arizona, and featured a variety of speakers, including Bo Cofield, NAH Chief Operating Officer; Ann Shaw, Mayor of Cottonwood; Doug Von Gausig, former patient of the Cancer Centers of NAH; Deborah Lindquist, MD, NAH medical oncologist and hematologist; and Tarra Young, NAH advanced oncology nurse practitioner.
The audience heard impactful stories from the speakers, such as Dr. Lindquist’s journey of being the first oncologist in northern Arizona and her passion for taking care of her patients. Young talked about her grandparents being born in Jerome Hospital 100 years ago, and how her brother was diagnosed with cancer 20 years and had to travel down to Tucson to get treatment. Von Gausig spoke about his time as a cancer patient at the Cancer Centers of NAH and expressed gratitude to the medical providers who treated him throughout his toughest times.
The center will produce 30,000 square feet of clinical care, and will incorporate all cancer services under one roof. NAH recently announced that the public walking trail on the VVMC campus will stay open during the entire construction process, although it will be shortened during the lifespan of the project. When the construction is completed, the full walking trail will reopen, and community members will be able to enjoy the trail through the new Cancer Center gardens.
NAH breaks ground on new, centralized cancer center on the VVMC campus in Cottonwood on March 25, 2026. Left to right: Bo Cofield, NAH Chief Operating Officer joins NAH Board Members – Randall Garrison, Paula Herald, Richard Evnen, Coral Evans, Janina Johnson, John Rivers and Troy Lorents
NAH anticipates construction to be complete by fall of 2027. To learn more about cancer services at NAH, please visit https://www.nahealth.com/cancer-centers/.