Sarah Bush Lincoln Growth
Effingham Specialty Clinic
Due to robust growth in that region, we have started construction on a new clinic on Maple Avenue in Effingham that will house a more complete cardiology program with stress testing, echocardiography, nuclear medicine and cardiac rehab, the SBL Effingham laboratory, a pharmacy and other specialty clinics. Construction began on the SBL Specialty Clinic in 2025, following approval from the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board.
The 38,080-square-foot building will sit on 12 acres adjacent to the SBL Effingham Clinic on Maple Avenue in Effingham. The two-story building will house cardiology services on the first floor that includes 12 exam rooms, a procedural room, stress testing, nuclear medicine, echo cardiology, pulmonology clinic, device clinic (pacemakers and other devices) and a cardiac rehab gym for METS (Monitored Exercise Testing Services). The clinic will also offer Heart to Heart, a comprehensive heart screen to catch abnormalities before an event occurs.
A full-service retail pharmacy with drive-up convenience is also planned on the first floor.
The second floor will house multiple specialty clinics with 17 exam rooms, and two procedure rooms. The intended services include audiology, hearing aid services, ENT, urology, endocrinology, neurology and women’s healthcare. The SBL Effingham Lab will move from the SBL Effingham Clinic to the second floor of the new building. It will be fully equipped to perform a wide-range of tests and frozen sections needed during surgeries at the Effingham Ambulatory Surgery Center.
SBL President & CEO Kim Uphoff explained “Shortly after opening the SBL Bonutti Clinic, we were out of space. Community members asked for specialty services be available in Effingham that we offer in Mattoon. By offering new medial practices in this market, we have created additional access to care and added convenience by bringing the services to the community. We are pleased to be able to help in this way.”
She added that the plans include a privacy fence around three sides of the property for the benefit of the neighbors as well as special lighting to avoid disrupting the quiet neighborhood. A walking path around the property is also planned for community members to enjoy. The building will be finished with a combination of brick, metal and glass with ample parking.
SBL Regional Cancer Center Expansion
Sarah Bush Lincoln Launches “Expanding Hope” Campaign to Grow Regional Cancer Center
Sarah Bush Lincoln has announced plans to expand its Regional Cancer Center to meet the growing demand for cancer care across Central Illinois. The project, which will add approximately 15,000 square feet to the existing 22,000-square-foot facility, will be funded in part through the Expanding Hope campaign launched by the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation.
When the SBL Regional Cancer Center opened in 2016, its 17 infusion bays and spacious design comfortably accommodated patient volumes. Nearly a decade later, the Center has become a destination for expert cancer treatment and compassionate care, serving almost twice as many patients as in its early years.
“In 2020, we had about 25,000 visits annually to the Cancer Center,” explained Jessi Bergfeld, Administrative Director of Practice Management. “This year, we are on track for nearly 47,000 visits. While we wish there wasn’t such a great need for cancer services, we are honored that more people are choosing Sarah Bush Lincoln for the care they trust. That growth means we now need more space, more infusion bays, and a larger waiting room to serve our patients comfortably.”
The expansion will include adding additional chemotherapy and specialized infusion bays for a total of 34, eight new exam rooms to enhance provider access, a much larger waiting room, which will be twice the size of the current one, and additional parking. It will also create dedicated space for non-oncology medical infusion, which is currently located elsewhere on campus. Construction is expected to begin this fall. Once complete, the facility will ensure that SBL continues to provide advanced, personalized cancer care close to home for patients throughout the region.
Through the Expanding Hope campaign, the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation invites community members and local businesses to contribute toward the project. Every donation, no matter the size, will help expand access to lifesaving cancer treatment.
Our Regional Cancer Center has become a place of healing and hope for so many families,” said President and CEO Kim Uphoff. “This campaign builds on that legacy and ensures that future generations will have the same extraordinary care right here.
Director of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation Amy Card emphasized that the campaign is about far more than construction. “When someone gives to Expanding Hope, they are directly touching the lives of friends, neighbors and family members who are fighting cancer,” she said. “It’s a way for all of us to stand beside our patients and remind them they are never alone in their journey.”
In 2015, Card led the initial campaign - Building Hope – to raise funds for construction of the existing Regional Cancer Center. At that time, community members and businesses donated nearly $4 million for the $15.8 million facility. The goal of the Expanding Hope campaign is to raise at least $2 million.
For information on how to support the Expanding Hope campaign, contact a committee member or Amy Card at 217-258-2511 or acard@sblhs.org.
