Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU

Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU is 63,000 square feet. With three floors and a lower level, it consolidates most of SIU's multi-disciplinary cancer clinics, that had been located in several hospital buildings, along with research and outreach services.

Stained glass window at SCI

This beautiful stained glass window is located on the second floor of the cancer institute. The piece was created by Al Sievers of Batavia, Il.

Thomas Garden of Hope

The Thomas Garden of Hope was planned with expertise from the fields of therapeutic environments and landscaping. It was designed as a place of comfort, welcoming patients and their loved ones to reflect and focus on hope for the future.

Bridge

The bridge between the Baylis Medical Building and The Breast Center Center at SIU, located in Clinic C on the second floor of Simmons Cancer Institute provides patients with easier access to SCI.

Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU

The Breast Center is located in Clinic C on the second floor of Simmons Cancer Institute (SCI). X-ray, ultrasound, and mammography are also located in Clinic C.

The Breast Center at SIU : 315 W.Carpenter Street : Springfield, IL 62702 : 217-545-7432

Robert S. Mocharnuk, MDRobert S. Mocharnuk, MD
Medical Director
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Specializes in breast cancer and genitourinary cancers, as well as non-malignant bleeding and clotting disorders.

He is board certified in Hematology, Internal Medicine, and Medical Oncology. Dr. Mocharnuk received his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine, and served his residency and fellowship at Los Angeles County, USC/Keck School of Medicine.

David Justin Rea, MD has joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of general surgery, specializing in transplant surgery. He also is a member of SIU HealthCare, the medical school’s practice group.
Previously, he held an appointment at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wis. (2009-11). He completed a two-year fellowship in abdominal transplant surgery (2009) as well as his general surgery residency (2007) at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Rea completed his medical degree at New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y. (2000). He earned his bachelor’s in chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley (1993).
Rea is board certified in general surgery by the American Board of Surgery. He is a
member of several medical societies including the American Society of Transplant Surgeons,
the American Society of Transplantation, the American Association for the Study of Liver
Diseases and the American Hepato-Pancreato-Bilary Association. He has been published in
numerous professional journals.

 

Other SIU Physicians who are part of the team

 

Aziz U. Khan, MDAziz U. Khan, MD
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine

Dr. Khan is an educator for the Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Medical Residents in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. He is also working with development of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program. He specializes in gastrointestinal malignancies, leukemias, lymphomas and other blood-related malignant and non-malignant disorders. Dr. Khan is also one of the Medical Oncologists seeing breast cancer patients.

 

Meghna Desai, MD
Division of Hematology, Oncology
Assistant Professor

Dr. Desai is an assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine at SIU School of Medicine. Previously, she was on the hematology and oncology staff at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston (2008-10) and on the medical staff of Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent (2004 - 08). She completed a three-year fellowship in hematology and oncology at North Shore University Hospital in Forest Hills, N.Y. (2004, 2001). A native of India, she earned her medical degree at Mahatma Gandhi Mission's Medical College in New Mumbai (1997). Desai is board certified in hematology and medical oncology and in internal medicine. She is a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American College of Physicians.


Krishna Rao, MDKrishna Rao, M.D.,Ph.D is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine with the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and SIU Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Rao received his medical degree from the University of Miami, School of Medicine, Miami, Florida. He completed his Internal Medicine residency ay Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota followed by a three-year fellowship in Hematology/Medical Oncology at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington. Dr. Rao has completed his Ph.D. in Pathology at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. Dr.Rao has experience in bone marrow transplantation.

Dr. Rao is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology and is an accomplished researcher in the area of breast cancer. Bone marrow transplantation and breast cancer are two major areas of Dr.Rao's interest.

Nicole Sommer, MDNicole Sommer, M.D., is an assistant professor of plastic surgery at The Plastic Surgery Institute at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. She is qualified to treat all aspects of plastic and reconstructive surgery. She has particular interest and training in all types of breast surgery including reconstruction, augmentation, reduction and asymmetry surgery. Dr. Sommer also has interest in noninvasive facial aesthetic procedures including peels, laser, botox, collagen and fat injections.

Dr. Sommer received both her medical degree and plastic surgery training from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Dr. Sommer recently completed a fellowship in breast and aesthetic surgery at the Nashville Plastic Surgery Center.
She is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She has authored several book chapters and given national presentations.

Michael Neumeister, MDMichael W. Neumeister, M.D., received his medical degree from the University of Toronto. He had previously completed a degree in physiology and pharmacology at the University of Western Ontario. Dr. Neumeister was an emergency physician in Toronto, Ontario, for one year following his internship at the Toronto East General Hospital. He started in a general surgery residency at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and went on to complete his plastic surgery residency at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Dr. Neumeister attended Harvard University's Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston as a microsurgery fellow. He completed a hand and microsurgery fellowship at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine's Institute for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Springfield.

Dr. Neumeister is board certified in Plastic Surgery by the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC). He is a member of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. Dr. Neumeister has received awards for presentations given regionally, nationally and internationally, has co-authored several book chapters and articles, and has multiple research interests.

Dr. Nada N. Berry has joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of plastic surgery. She also is a member of SIU HealthCare,the medical school’s practice group.
Berry recently completed a hand surgery fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,Minn. (2011). She completed her residency in plastic surgery at SIU (2010) and her medical degree at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis (2004). She earned her bachelor’s in biology at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. (1998). She has been published in several professional journals.

 

Dr. Shelda Borders received her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University. In addition to an interest in general mental health and wellness, she has a special interest in health psychology. She has worked with individuals with a variety of health issues such as cancer, chronic pain, spinal cord injury, fertility concerns, and bariatric surgery candidates. Her research interests also lie in the area of health psychology; particularly regarding coping and adjustment to illness or disability. Dr. Borders joined the Division of Behavioral and Psychosocial Oncology at the Simmons Cancer Institute in September 2011. She is delighted to be a part of the team at the Simmons Cancer Institute, as she believes that serving and supporting cancer patients and their families is vitally important. She has also found this to be extremely meaningful and rewarding experience. Dr. Borders closely covers the Breast Center and has a special interest in providing for the emotional needs of women and men with breast cancer and other health issues.

 

Collaborating Members of the Breast Cancer Team

The SIU Breast Center enjoys a collaborative relationship with both Memorial Medical Center and St. John’s Women’s Services.  The radiology and pathology staff at these institutions is vital to the screening and diagnosis of our patients through mammography and pathology.  They attend the Multidisciplinary Conferences to provide expertise that is valuable in determining the course of therapy.  Radiation Oncologists are also a part of the Breast Center Team; helping determine the best course of therapy for those individuals who need radiation therapy.  A list of our collaborators is included in the Tables below.

RADIOLOGY  - Mammography, Ultrasounds and Biopsies

Breast Imaging Team at Memorial Medical Center

Breast Imaging Team at St. John’s Women's Center

PATHOLOGY – examination of the tissue specimen after biopsy or surgery

The Mammography Centers at both facilities are fully compliant with the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) which is a requirement for licensure.  They are both “Centers of Excellence” as determined by the American College of Radiology.  The “Centers of Excellence” indicates the staff is certified in mammography, stereotactic biopsy and Breast Ultrasound including ultrasound guided biopsy.  Achieving “Centers of Excellence” designation is voluntary and difficult to attain.  All of the physicians are Board Certified.  Digital mammography is available at both locations.  

Memorial Medical Center

St. John’s Hospital/CJV

The pathologists at both facilities are Board Certified and maintain their certification through attendance at nationally recognized conferences and seminars.  The laboratories at both facilities are Clinical Laboratories Improvement Amendments (CLIA) certified. 

RADIATION ONCOLOGY – provides radiation therapy

The radiation oncologists provide radiation therapy services at both hospitals.  All of the radiation oncologists are board certified with many years of experience in the field of radiation oncology. 

 

 

E-mail - surgery@siumed.edu