Your Treatment Team

Radiation Oncologist

Temple Cancer Center & Laird Cancer Center:
Sidney C. Roberts, MD
A radiation oncologist is a doctor who specializes in using radiation to treat cancer. As the leader of your treatment team, he will work with the other members of the team to develop an individualized treatment plan. He will oversee your treatments and, if necessary, make adjustments in order to try to maximize benefit and minimize side effects. Throughout your treatments, the radiation oncologist will maintain contact with your other cancer doctors (such as surgeons and medical oncologists) to maximize the radiation's effectiveness.

Radiation Oncology Nurse

Temple Cancer Center:
Brenda Holbert-Fernandez, APRN, BC
Madelene Collier, RN
Laird Cancer Center: Sheila Chandler, RN, OCN
Radiation oncology nurses are licensed, registered nurses who work together with the radiation oncologist and radiation therapists - from your initial appointment until the completion of your follow-up care. They can explain possible side effects and how to manage them as well as provide support for your family as you receive treatments.

Radiation Therapist

Temple Cancer Center:
Jewel Williams, RT (T), Director
Flo Greene, RT (T)
Aimee Salas, RT (T)
Laird Cancer Center:
Richard Bannon, RT (T), Director
Our radiation therapists administer the daily radiation treatments as prescribed and supervised by the radiation oncologist. They are responsible for ensuring the treatment machines are in good working order and for maintaining your daily treatment records. Each of our therapists is licensed and certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

Dosimetrist

Temple Cancer Center: Julie McClain, RT (R)(T)
Laird Cancer Center: Kyle Koon, RT (R)(T)
Dosimetrists are specially trained radiation therapists who calculate the dose of radiation to destroy your tumor while minimizing the effects to surrounding tissues. They develop several treatment plans, and then, in conjunction with the radiation oncologist and the medical radiation physicist, a radiation therapy treatment plan is chosen which is right for you.

Medical Radiation Physicist

Temple Cancer Center: Linda Miller, MS
Laird Cancer Center: Linda Miller, MS
Medical radiation physicists oversee the work of the dosimetrist and work directly with the radiation oncologist during the planning and delivery of your treatment. They perform regular safety checks on all equipment to measure the radiation beams and are responsible for quality control for all equipment and procedures. Medical radiation physicists are certified by either the American Board of Radiology or by the American Board of Medical Physics.

Nutritionists

Temple Cancer Center: Peggilu G. Watkins, MS, RD, LD
Laird Cancer Center: Jamie Graham, MS, RD, LD, CDE
Nutritionists on staff at each hospital work with you to ensure you get the proper nutrition during your treatments. They can assist you in modifying what you eat if treatments are causing side effects and can provide suggestions for menus and for nutritional supplements.

Social Workers

Temple Cancer Center: Tammi Axelson, LMSW

Photos of Dr. Roberts by ImagesByTerryLewis.com.