Mayo Clinic's proton therapy project hits new milestone - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 47) -- A milestone has been reached in the construction of the Mayo Clinic Proton Beam Therapy building.

The last steel beam was put in place on Monday.

"We've completed all the excavation and concrete pour and now we're completing the steel work today," said Dr. Robert Foote, chair of Mayo Clinic's Department of Radiation Oncology.

Foote said Mayo Clinic has now reached what could be considered the halfway point in the project.

A ceremony Monday gave thanks to those who made the building project possible, including the steel workers who put their lives on the line to save others.

"Looking up there you can't put into words what he just did," said Jackie Jensen as she watched her son, Jaime Jensen, put the last steel beam in place.

Thanks to her son and dozens of other construction workers, the new facility for Mayo Clinic's Proton Beam Therapy program is right on track.

"The equipment is now starting to be manufactured and we hope to start installing it next year in the facility," said Dr. Foote.

The facility will house cancer patients. Doctors will be able to do a more targeted form of radiation and treatment.

Mayo Clinic's Proton Beam Therapy building is expected to open to patients in 2015.