CINCINNATI — A new center is set to attack a deadly illness impacting hundreds in Ohio. The Blood Cancer Healing Center officially opened Monday in Cincinnati.

Rick Webster says he had no idea when he was cutting the grass that his fatigue was a symptom. 

“Took me almost 4 hours because I had to keep stopping because I was so exhausted and out of breath,” said Webster. 

It’s what would trigger a call to the doctor that changed his life.

“I went in the very next day and had a blood test done, and the doctor called me close to midnight that night. It was a Friday night and said I had to get to the ER,” said Webster.

He was rushed to the ER and diagnosed with a type of blood cancer.

“When you hear that you have leukemia and it’s AML (acute myeloid leukemia) and you have to have a stem cell transplant, you’re devastated. You don’t think you’re going to live and that’s how I felt,” said Webster.

From the hospital bed to treatment, he had to go from place to place, but two years later, he’s taking a tour of a new place that is trying to fix that.

Dr. Emily Curran is a physician at UC Health’s new Blood Cancer Healing Center in Cincinnati.

It’s equipped with an E.R., long-term treatment area and research labs.

“I’m really excited to have both this amazing space for our patients where they can receive their care, but also, I think very importantly also have the research and the clinical care all in one space, because I really think that’s how we’re going to advance the care of our patients,” said Curran.

The center’s opening was made official Monday during a ribbon cutting for patients like Webster. He’ll be getting check ups at the center, but he says his cancer is now gone.

“They took me from a devastated state the way that they cared for me, just not with medicine, but with their friendship put me in a much better place,” said Webster.

Clinical services at the blood cancer center will be open to patients on July 10.