Cancer in KC: Ellis Fischel and the History of Cancer Care in Missouri
March 23, 2015 | Mike McGraw, Bridgit Bowden | 1 min read
In conjunction with “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies,” a three-part, six-hour major television event from filmmaker Ken Burns, KCPT is examining cancer’s impact in our city and Region.
“Emperor” tells the story of this history of cancer. In the Midwest, a major part of cancer’s history is Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia, Missouri.
As the first freestanding cancer hospital west of the Mississippi River, it was built to serve patients from rural parts of the state who couldn’t afford to pay for care.
Now, Ellis Fischel is part of the University of Missouri Health System.
This story is part of KCPT’s Cancer in KC series, produced in conjunction with the PBS documentary Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, a three-part, six-hour major television event from filmmaker Ken Burns, airing March 30-April 1. The series examines cancer’s impact in the metro with medical experts, cancer researchers and survivors. We want to learn more about how cancer affects our community. How has cancer impacted your life? Share your story.
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.
Related Stories
Nick’s Picks | Fan Fest, Streetcar, Liquor and More …
World Cup Begins The wait is finally over. The first ball of the 2026 World Cup will be kicked Thursday, ushering in 5 ½ weeks of competition across the United States, Canada and Mexico. It’s also opening day for Kansas City’s FIFA Fan Fest at the National World War I Museum and Memorial—our first real…
Nick’s Picks | Messi, Jail, Buses, and More …
World Cup Team(s) Arrive It’s starting to feel real. The first World Cup team has landed in Kansas City. Defending champions Argentina touched down at KCI airport on Sunday and will begin practicing today at Sporting KC’s training facility in Wyandotte County. Much of the attention, of course, is focused on Lionel Messi. The soccer…
World Cup ‘Statement Piece’ Evokes Best Version of Kansas City
Before I moved to Kansas City almost 56 years ago, I had been here only once — for a brief visit to the Kansas City Press Club when I was attending the University of Missouri School of Journalism. But because of that visit and the fact that I grew up in the Midwest (Woodstock, Illinois,…


