After six months of treatment, Sandi Croan nearly has breast cancer beat.

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"When some people talk about being a survivor, I never do that,” she says. “I was very, very lucky."

Her road to recovery ran from Centreville to Inova Fairfax Hospital. An exhausting daily commute for radiation therapy.

"It was just everyday you had to lay there, and be reminded that you had this invasive thing taking over your body,” Croan says. “And the traffic was terrible."

But soon, patients like Croan won't have to drive miles for cancer treatment.

On Friday, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital leaders broke ground on a new, multi-million dollar cancer center in Fairfax.

"Cancer is a disease that touches everyone, and to have a center here in the community so people don’t have to travel, to have all the services here on the campus so they're integrated and accessible, is going to be magnificent for people in the community,” says John Fitzgerald, CEO of Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.

When the building opens its doors in late 2013, the 100,000 square foot building will boast two floors dedicated to radiation and oncology services, patient and family resources, even a healing garden.

Croan says she's relieved to know that if her cancer returns, treatment is in her back yard.

"it's a comfort knowing that myself and other in my community will have an easier time of things," she says.

Inova Fair Oaks is running a $3 million capital campaign to help fund the project. As of Friday, they've raise more than $1 million.