New women’s services line reaches out to help

“This is the only place that I wanted to work in Houston,” said Dr. Nicole Fleming, assistant professor in the department of gynecologic oncology. “This is not only because of the reputation but the type of care that you can provide to your patients.”

Striving to uphold her commitment to MD Anderson, Fleming decided to implement a new women’s services line at the Sugar Land Regional Care Center, located on the campus of St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital.

Dr. Fleming says has always been drawn to women’s health. “Working with women was very comfortable,” said Fleming. “We take care of women from their early teens and 20s up until [they are] elderly. [We] really take care of women throughout their lives.”

Originally from the Houston area, Dr. Fleming grew up in Sealy, the small town just west of Katy. She attended medical school at the University of Texas then went to Duke University in North Carolina for her OB/GYN residency before completing her training in gynecology and oncology at UCLA in Los Angeles.

“I wanted to return home and be closer to family, and my husband works in oil and gas so we decided to make our way back to Houston.” She then started with MD Anderson.“It wasn’t so much me choosing MD Anderson as MD Anderson choosing me,” said Fleming. “It [is] a great honor to work here.”

The new women’s care service line began in June of this year. It was created to reach out to the community in a way that MD Anderson is not always able to. “I think there is this vibe that these regional care centers, even though they have the MD Anderson name on them, are not really MD Anderson,” said Fleming. “Actually, it really is. The quality of the physicians, the services. I think in a couple of years from now we are going to have a whole lot more.”

The resources available to the Sugar Land community at the MD Anderson Sugar Land Regional Care Center continue to expand. “We have a full service as far as medical oncology and radiation services on site. Then, as far as the surgical specialties of course GYN is out there - breast, head, neck, urology - and there are plans for more in the future.” They also offer pain management services, nutrition counseling and genetic counseling services on-site.

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The Sugar Land Regional Care center also offers support groups. “Though it is mostly breast cancer patients the invitation is extended to all of our cancer patients to attend,” said Fleming. “They meet once a month.”