The Grand Opening took place on Thursday, January 19^th, with Glendale Chamber of Commerce in presence. The new infusion center equipped with the state of the art medical equipment and it is conveniently located close to Glendale Memorial Hospital. Dr. Stephen Huang, the primary specialist at the Glendale location, said that ‘”This community deserves a cancer clinic that treats the whole person, using state-of-the-art therapies and delivering them with compassion.” Dr. Huang is known for his ability to listen to his patients, explaining highly complex treatment options without complex jargon.

The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation has grown to have a network of sixteen board-certified Oncologists and ten oncology-certified mid-level practitioners to facilitate quality patient care. Azaliya Musina, Marketing Director, believes that this growth is mainly attributed to the exemplary customer service, friendly environment and esteemed physicians. In a survey, conducted last month, ninety seven percent of patients rated the practice as “very good” or “excellent”. In 2010, The Institute was the recipients of the Hope Award for Practice Excellence.

It is believed that the expression of creativity supports health and provides way to enhance self-discovery, express emotions and transform life experiences into art. Many patients diagnosed with cancer are going through a very difficult period in their lives and this competition aims to encourage patients to capture the moment that touched their lives. The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation hopes that taking part in this competition will allow patients to focus on the positive and inspire people around them with their photographs. The competition will be open to all patients of The Institute of Hope and Innovation and will run in January and February 2012.

For more information please E-mail: theoncologyinstitute@gmail.com

Dr. Kim, a leader in cancer treatment with accolades in Hematology and Medical Oncology joined The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation as a means to grow his ability to work with patients and their families, in an area that has been traditionally underserved.  “Patients in this area of Orange County were previously commuting either north or south of here to receive care.  The Oncology Institute brings a great presence that allows patients and their families to stay close to home and receive superior care.”

Dr. Kim grew up in Japan in a Korean household, but most of his life was spent in the Los Angeles area.  He earned his undergraduate degree with high honors in Molecular Cell Biology from University of California, Berkeley.  He then earned two masters degrees, one from Biola University in cultural anthropology, and another from Dartmouth College in epidemiology and biostatistics.  His medical degree was earned from Loma Linda University School of Medicine.  This was followed by an internal medicine residency at UCLA – Olive View Medical Center where he was recognized as the most humanistic intern, the most outstanding intern, and the most outstanding resident for two years in a row. .

As experts in cancer treatment care and recent winners of the 2010 HOPE Award for Practice Excellence in Patient Care, The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation is known for their exemplary internal clinical research department, through which 45 active clinical trials sponsored by different pharmaceutical companies are currently available. Offering programs to help patients and families cope with the challenges that are brought on by cancer and striving to optimize their quality of life, comprehensive and realistic treatment goals are tailored to every person’s unique needs and decided upon in partnership with the patients and their families.

Born and raised in Germany, Dr. Berz earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Universitaet, Frankfurt, Germany and his medical degree and doctorate from the Humboldt University, Berlin Germany. He completed his internship and residency in Norwalk Hospital at Yale University and his fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at Brown University.

Prior to joining The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation, Dr. Berz  was employed by The City of Hope, sub-specialized in Thoracic Oncology Division. Prior to that, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology in Dalhousie University in St. John from 2010 to 2011 and an Assistant Professor of Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island from 2008 to 2010.

Dr. David Berz is known for his exceptional patient care and his significant contributions to the field of oncology through ongoing research  in clinical trials and publications in major journals.

Dr. Berz is a recipient of the Outstanding Resident Award from Norwalk Hospital at Yale University.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Berz to our practice to help us to provide state of the art, compassionate care to our patients.

Should you have any questions please visit our website at www.theoncologyinstitute.com.

The first one takes place on the November 9th, at 5:oo pm at the Downey office and the second is taking place on November 29th in the Long Beach office.

Please RSPV to Hilda Agajanian, Administrator if you would like to attend, 562-869-1201.

Hope to see you there!

Born and raised in the East Coast, Dr. Huang earned his B.S. in Biology
from Cornell University and his M.D. from the Mount Sinai School of
Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in Internal
Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and his fellowship in
Hematology and Oncology at UCLA – Olive View Medical
Center.
Prior to joining the Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation, he spent two years in private practice in Newport Beach. Through his training and private practice, he has gained a wealth of experience in oncology and hematology. Dr Huang endeavors to find the intersection between science and compassion in caring for his patients. He seeks to design personalized treatment strategies for each individual while helping them maintain the highest possible quality
of life.

A highly caring and devoted physician, Dr. Cheung is fellowship-trained in Hematology and Oncology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles County Medical Center and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Institute.  Dr. Cheung earned his medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences.

Dr. Cheung received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, during which time he received the honor of training at Oxford University. After medical school, he completed both his internal medicine training and Hematology-Oncology training at the University of Southern California where he served as Chief of his fellowship program.

While Dr. Cheung is trained in all cancers and blood disorders, he is considered an expert in the fields of Prostate cancer and platelet disorders, as attested by his numerous publications in both fields.

Dr. Cheung seeks to educate and empower his patients. He is dedicated to the comprehensive well-being of his patients and to the quality of their lives.

Dr. Cheung is fluent in Spanish.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Professional Memberships:

• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• American Society of Hematology

Patient Care Philosophy

Dr. Cheung doesn’t just treat disease, he treats people. He understands that every patient has unique needs and he meets them with constant doses of personal attention.  Dr. Cheung resides in the community and enjoys spending quality time with his wife and family.

Rehana S. Baqai, M.D.

Dr. Rehana S. Baqai is one of the top oncology specialists in Los Angeles. She sees her patients at the La Mirada office of The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation.

A highly compassionate and dedicated doctor, Dr. Baqai is certified by the American Board of Medical Oncology. Fellowship-trained in Oncology at University of California, Irvine, Dr. Baqai earned her medical degree from the Fatima Jinnah Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan. Dr. Baqai has completed her residency through the Northeastern Pennsylvania Affiliated Residency Program of Hahnemann University at the VA Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, PA. Dr. Baqai strives to make a difference in the life of every patient she treats. Dr. Baqai is fluent in Urdu and Hindi.

Professional Memberships:

• American Medical Association
• California Medical Association
• American College of Physicians
• American Society of Internal Medicine
• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Orange County Medical Association

Patient Care Philosophy

“It’s a passion, not only a profession,” says Dr. Baqai regarding the practice of Medicine. Dr. Baqai takes a deeply empathetic approach with each patient to better understand his or her needs during an extremely difficult time. Educating the patients about their illness is a top priority for Dr. Baqai as it enables the patient to make appropriate decisions about their treatment.Every patient is treated as a whole, taking into account all aspects including physical, emotional and psychological aspects. Dr. Baqai is an excellent listener who ensures that every patient is heard and treated with utmost respect. She takes pride in every connection and relationship that she’s able to establish with the people she serves. In addition to being committed to serving her patients, Dr. Baqai is a dedicated wife and mother of 2 beautiful children.

About The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation

The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation is a premier cancer treatment center in Los Angeles. Offering programs to help patients and families cope with the challenges that are brought on by cancer and strive to optimize their quality of life, comprehensive and realistic treatment goals are tailored to every person’s unique needs and decided upon in partnership with the patients and their families. Dedicated to excel in cancer prevention, diagnosis and education through our exceptional team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants and office staff, The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation has 8 Southern California locations in the cities of Downey, Long Beach, Lynwood, Montebello Whittier, Anaheim, La Mirada and Glendale. For more information please visit www.theoncologyinstitute.com.

Daniel J. Kim, M.D.

Dr. Kim is one of the top Oncology specialists in Orange County. Dr. Kim operates out of the Anaheim office of The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation located at 1184 N. Euclid St. Anaheim, CA 92801.

Dr. Kim grew up in Japan in a Korean household, but most of his life was spent in the Los Angeles area.

He earned his undergraduate degree with high honors in Molecular Cell Biology from University of California, Berkeley.  He then earned two masters degrees, one from Biola University in cultural anthropology, and another from Dartmouth College in epidemiology and biostatistics.  His medical degree was earned from Loma Linda University School of Medicine.  This was followed by an internal medicine residency at UCLA – Olive View Medical Center where he was recognized as the most humanistic intern, the most outstanding intern, and the most outstanding resident for two years in a row.  He also served as the chief resident of his internal medicine residency, during which he held simultaneous appointment as a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.  He then trained in hematology and medical oncology at UCLA – Olive View and Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers, where he was recognized as the most outstanding fellow for two years in a row.  During his fellowship, his focus of research was on gastrointestinal malignancies, especially in gastric cancer involving young patients.

Dr. Kim has presented on the topic of multiple myeloma at a national meeting for the Society of General Internal Medicine, and has published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Southern Medical Journal, and Acta Oto-laryngologica, and eMedicine.

Dr. Kim has traveled to Honduras, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and East Asia on medical mission trips through Global Health Outreach.

Dr. Kim believes in a whole-person approach to medical care. Medical, physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of care are of utmost importance.

Dr. Kim speaks both Japanese and Korean

Professional Memeberships:

• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• American Society of Hematology
• American Medical Association / California Medical Association
• American College of Physicians
• Christian Medical Association
• Korean American Medical Association
• Phi Beta Kappa

Dr. Kim operates out of the Anaheim office of The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation located at 1184 N. Euclid St. Anaheim, CA 92801.
If you would like to make an appointment with Dr. Kim, please call 714-399-0620

About The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation

The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation is a premier cancer treatment center in Los Angeles. Offering programs to help patients and families cope with the challenges that are brought on by cancer and strive to optimize their quality of life, comprehensive and realistic treatment goals are tailored to every person’s unique needs and decided upon in partnership with the patients and their families. Dedicated to excel in cancer prevention, diagnosis and education through our exceptional team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants and office staff, The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation has 8 Southern California locations in the cities of Downey, Long Beach, Lynwood, Montebello Whittier, Anaheim, La Mirada and Glendale. For more information please visit www.theoncologyinstitute.com.

Alexander Gaitanis, M.D.

Highly committed to providing the best patient care, Dr. Alexander Gaitanis is a board-certified Oncologist and Internal Medicine physician by the American Board of Medical Oncology and American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Gaitanis received his undergraduate degree from Philadelphia University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology. He then attended Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine where he earned his Post-Baccalaureate degree in Bio-Medical Sciences followed by his medical degree. He then went on to complete his Internship and Internal Medicine residency. This was followed by an Oncology/Hematology fellowship at the University of Florida. In addition to his clinical training, he spent a year at the University of Tennessee Department of Medicine as an Internal Medicine physician between his residency and fellowship.

Dr. Gaitanis has received numerous awards during his educational and teaching career, including the Resident Research award, and is a published author in the field of cancer nanotechnology.

Dr. Gaitanis is fluent in Greek.

Professional Memberships

• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• American Society of Hematology

Patient Care Philosophy

Currently, Dr. Gaitanis is actively involved in patient care and is committed to providing compassionate, quality care and improving his patient’s quality of life. He finds this part of his work is very gratifying. He works hard to provide his patients access to the best care available and empower them through their treatments by providing them with a clear diagnosis and access to the latest technology, treatment options, support, and clinical trials.

About The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation

The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation is a premier cancer treatment center in Los Angeles. Offering programs to help patients and families cope with the challenges that are brought on by cancer and strive to optimize their quality of life, comprehensive and realistic treatment goals are tailored to every person’s unique needs and decided upon in partnership with the patients and their families. Dedicated to excel in cancer prevention, diagnosis and education through our exceptional team of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants and office staff, The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation has 8 Southern California locations in the cities of Downey, Long Beach, Lynwood, Montebello Whittier, Anaheim, La Mirada and Glendale. For more information please visit www.theoncologyinstitute.com.