Healthy living center at Mayo set to expand

(Photo courtesy of Mayo Clinic)

A new building is coming to downtown Rochester.

The Mayo Clinic announced it will double the size of the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center. The four-story expansion will give selected patients access to the wellness facility, that currently is open only to Mayo Clinic employees and their families.

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In a statement, Patricia Barrier, medical director of Mayo Clinic's Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, said the clinic is committed to improving the overall health and wellness of its patients as well as diagnosing and treating illness and disease.

"This expansion will contribute to Mayo's quest to comprehensively serve the needs of each patient," Barrier said.

At the new center, patients will get highly individualized healthy living guidance tailored to their particular illness or disease. The center also will provide ongoing support aimed at preventing future disease.

The expansion is made possible by the financial generosity of Dan Abraham, a longtime Mayo patient and founder of SlimFast International. Mayo Clinic officials did not release the amount of Abraham's financial gift.

"The generous support by Mr. Abraham has improved the lives of our employees through the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center. Now, his same spirit of generosity and commitment to Mayo Clinic will more broadly touch all our patients," John Noseworthy, M.D., Mayo Clinic president and CEO, said in a statement.

Clinic officials said the existing floors of the healthy living center will continue to be for Mayo employees and their dependents. The new floors will have a separate entrance for patients.

Officials did not immediately release a timeline for construction of the project.