Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health has added pediatric hematology-oncology specialist and Baton Rouge native Kacie Sims, MD to the team at its St. Jude Baton Rouge Affiliate Clinic, where she will provide the latest in specialized medical care and techniques to children with a variety of blood disorders and cancers.
One of only eight St. Jude affiliates in the country, the clinic allows patients to receive the same care and treatments developed as clinical trials at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., but close to their home, family, and support system.
“Dr. Sims is a talented physician who brings both valuable experience and a fresh perspective to our team at St. Jude,” said Dr. Jeff Deyo, medical director of the St. Jude Baton Rouge Affiliate Clinic. “She has shown tremendous passion for helping childhood cancer patients throughout her career, and she will have an immediate impact on the lives of children and families who are navigating a potentially serious diagnosis and intense treatment plan.”
Dr. Sims graduated from Bishop Sullivan High School in 2000, and was a part of the 2013 class of Our Lady of the Lake’s Pediatric Residency Program. She also volunteered at the St. Jude Baton Rouge Affiliate Clinic during college, where she helped counsel and comfort patients and their families while observing clinic physicians.
“Volunteering at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic as an aspiring doctor was a great opportunity for me, and helped to solidify my career path,” said Dr. Sims. “I am thrilled to be returning to Baton Rouge to be a part of the clinic again while at the same time preparing to move into the new children’s hospital. The opportunity to re-join the organization at this pivotal time in its history is rewarding on both a personal and professional level.”
Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital broke ground last year on a freestanding hospital set to open in 2019. The new facility, which will feature an entire floor dedicated to pediatric cancer and blood disorder care, will serve as a premier destination for children’s healthcare in Louisiana.
Dr. Sims received a Bachelor of Science in biology from LSU in 2004, and her medical degree from LSU Health Sciences Center in 2010. Following her pediatric residency at Our Lady of the Lake, Dr. Sims moved to Oklahoma City, Okla., where she completed her master’s degree in clinical and transitional sciences from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Graduate School, and a Fellowship in pediatric hematology-oncology at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Sims joins Drs. Deyo, Catherine Boston, and Sheila Moore at the St. Jude Baton Rouge Affiliate Clinic located at 7777 Hennessy Blvd., Suite 312. For more information on how to be referred to the clinic, visit www.ololchildrens.org/HematologyOncology.