Cancer Care - Staff

Radiation Oncology Team Members

When faced with the diagnosis of cancer, you deserve the best professional team on your side. The staff in Radiation Oncology at Rockford Memorial Hospital has the knowledge, expertise and compassion to support you every step of the way.

Medical Director, Dr. Karen Smorowski, graduated from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Rockford and completed her residency at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. She is board certified in Radiation Oncology and is affiliated with the American College of Radiation Oncology, the American Medical Association, American College of Radiology, and the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. Dr. Smorowski has been affiliated with the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rockford Memorial Hospital since 1998.

The nursing staff in the Department of Radiation Oncology includes nurses with advanced education in Oncology Nursing as well as pain management. They will assist you and your family from the first visit to our department throughout all the treatment you will receive. This is done by co-ordination of interdisciplinary care, including chemotherapy, pain management, nutritional counseling and social service needs. The nurses work closely with the Radiation Oncologist to meet all your physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

The team of experienced Radiation Therapists are responsible for delivering daily radiation treatments. This group of licensed professionals works closely with the physician and all department members in order to assure that the proper radiation dose and technique are carried out throughout the course of treatment. They deliver the best care that is available in the area.

The department of Radiation Oncology is supported by a Medical Physicist and Medical Dosimetrist who consult with the physician regarding radiation prescriptions and planning for patient treatments. Once the treatment plan is created, the dosimetrist will confer with the radiation therapists to communicate treatment information. The physics team is composed of highly professional individuals who are responsible for the ongoing calibration and quality assurance of the radiation equipment.

The office staff will greet you upon entering the department and handle any registration information with you. It may be necessary to have your insurance information with you on the first appointment day. The office staff helps you with appointments and co-ordinates visits with other departments such as lab and x-ray.