NIU proton center lands federal grant

While the total financial picture for Northern Illinois University's proton therapy cancer treatment facility in West Chicago isn't exactly clear, the federal government has faith in it.

The project is receiving $4.8 million from the U.S. Department of Defense, Rep. Bill Foster announced Tuesday. That's on top of more than $7 million in federal grant seed money the project has already received to help with infrastructure and foundation construction at the site. Meanwhile, officials from the Northern Illinois Proton Treatment & Research Center are awaiting permission from the state to borrow money to finance the remainder of the $159 million project. That decision is expected next month.

Foster said the money will help the university save lives, help cancer patients and develop high-tech jobs for the region.

"This is exactly the kind of investment we should be making in our universities," Foster said.

NIU President John Peters said the facility will be the cornerstone of the university's academic growth in health care education.

"This center will be an integral part of the development of our health sciences program," he said. "It will affect scores of faculty and hundreds of students."

Proton therapy is different from traditional cancer treatment because it targets a specific area of the body affected by cancer cells. Studies have shown side effects are lessened in proton therapies. Medical experts have also said it is better for treating childhood cancer than traditional methods.

In addition to the West Chicago facility, Central DuPage Hospital and ProCure Treatments were recently approved to build a second proton treatment center in nearby Warrenville. A groundbreaking for that project is slated for Monday.