BUFFALO, N.Y. -- They encourage those facing cancer to spend just one day with them, and in the year since Dr. Candace Johnson was appointed President and CEO of Roswell Park, the number of new patients coming to the institute is up 21 percent.

"I think the word is out and the message is out that you should come to Roswell Park, you should at least get it checked out, and I think then when people come, they're having a better experience maybe than they had in the past," said Johnson. 

The new faces around Roswell aren't just first-time patients. In addition to promoting 16 employees to new roles, there are 18 new recruits, which Johnson describes as outstanding individuals who are bringing experience and excitement to the institute.

"When you can recruit people from around the country, it says, you're doing something right, because people want to come here, and you're able to convince them to buy into your mission," she said. 

Helping support that mission are two new collaborations. Roswell is teaming up with the Buffalo Sabres to help reduce cancer risk in the community. The two are launching an educational campaign, will offer free cancer screenings at public events and generate funding for research and patient programs.

"The Buffalo Sabres touch so many lives in our community, we all love the Sabres, and so to have an organization like that be out there, talking about prevention, talking about screening mammography, talking about get your colonoscopy done, help in educating people is huge. It enables us to get our message out where we never could before," said Johnson. 

"Part of our role as a sports team in this community is try to give back and to work with the community and we know that we have that power," said Mike Gilbert, Buffalo Sabres Vice President for Community and Public Relations. 

Roswell also has a new partnership with Buffalo Medical Group, to meet needs for coverage. Gynecologic oncologists from the institute will see Buffalo Medical Group patients in Orchard Park, while the Group's medical oncologists will provide care at Roswell.

Come spring, Johnson said the Clinical Sciences Center will open; it's the first new construction on the Roswell campus in nearly a decade. She said it will offer an enhanced experience for patients receiving chemotherapy, and it will also feature a women's center. It's expected to open in late May or early June.