Moffitt Cancer Center To Open Polk County Outpatient Center
LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2026) — Moffitt Cancer Center will expand its footprint to reach more patients across Florida by opening a new outpatient center in Polk County. With generous support from Wesley and Ashley Bell Barnett, who are donating $10 million, as well as a partial land donation from Steven, Dane and Tom Rogers and the Rogers family, Moffitt will better serve people in Polk County and Orlando.
“At Moffitt, we are laser focused on saving more lives. But we must bring world-class cancer care closer to those who need it,” said Patrick Hwu, M.D., president and CEO of Moffitt. “We are incredibly grateful for the impactful support of the Barnett and Rogers families who are helping us to realize this vision.”
People travel from every Florida county, all 50 states and more than 130 countries to receive care at Moffitt. In 2025, the cancer center saw more than 1,450 new patients living in Polk County.
Moffitt’s new facility will be built on 34 acres on Bartow Road in Lakeland, offering significant expansion in the future. Services to be offered include cancer screenings, diagnostic imaging, blood draw and clinical labs, infusion services, medical oncology clinics, radiation therapy and clinical trials. Expansion plans in the next phase include a surgery center and a wellness and research educational center to help prevent and better live with cancer.
“Moffitt Cancer Center is known for incredible lifesaving work, and we want to do everything we can to help bring this expertise to our backyard in Polk County,” said Bell Barnett, who serves on the cancer center’s Foundation Board.
Moffitt is building new facilities to better support Floridians where they live. In January 2025, Moffitt at SouthShore opened to serve southern Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties. The new Moffitt Speros Outpatient Center in neighboring Pasco County opened in January 2026.
The Lakeland site will be home to Moffitt’s Central Florida Campus, bringing world-class patient care and research to new communities including in Orlando.
“We are excited to give people their best chance against cancer by making access more convenient to more people. Expanding Moffitt Cancer Center is how we can make a difference,” said Steven Rogers, Ph.D.
Construction is slated to begin in 2027 with the outpatient center opening in 2029.
About Moffitt Cancer Center
Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 58 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt’s scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt’s expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet status, its highest distinction. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT, visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
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