Lindsey Morris
According to TSC Alliance, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) affects one in 6,000 births. Here in Georgia, we had only one clinic that is certified by the TSC Alliance, until now.
“The TSC Alliance recently awarded ‘TSC Clinic’ designation to Wellstar MCH Health because we provide expert multidisciplinary care for people with this rare hereditary condition,” says John Henson, MD. Henson is the director of the new TSC clinic in Augusta as well as the director of the Hereditary Cancer Clinic at the Georgia Cancer Center and Wellstar MCG Health.
TSC is a tumor causing genetic disorder that affects multiple organs, including the brain, eyes, heart, kidneys, skin, and lungs. It can be inherited from a parent who has TSC, but it can also result from a new genetic mutation near the time of conception. There currently is no cure for the condition, but with proper care and medical surveillance and appropriate treatment with a targeted medication called everolimus, patients with TSC can live a normal lifespan.
Henson saw a need for a clinic in this area because the next closest center is in Columbia, South Carolina, and the only other in Georgia is in Atlanta. He is very familiar with TSC due to his background with hereditary disorders and knew that since TSC can affect multiple areas of the body, it can be difficult for a patient to get the care they need on time.
“We need to be able to watch over the whole package of medical problems in each patient,” said Henson when asked about the range of care a patient would need.
To provide the best possible care for patients, Henson assembled a team of specialists at MCG to join the clinic’s work for TSC patients. The team includes:
- John Henson, MD – Director
- Tina Winning – Coordinator
- Jennifer Poon, MD – Developmental pediatrics
- Fernando Vale, MD – Epilepsy surgery
- Tony Murro, MD – Epilepsy
- Arthur Freedman, MD – Interventional radiology
- Charlaine Conger, NP
–– Genetics nurse practitioner - Shaheen Islam, MD
–– Pulmonary Medicine - Stacy McGaney, MS – Social services
- Zach Klaassen, MD – Urologic surgery
- Suzanne Strickland, MD – Pediatric neurology
Having a large team on call and closer to home means that patients will get the crucial care that is needed much faster.
If you are interested in making an appointment or you would like more information, you can call (706) 721- 6458. The clinic is currently taking patients and is located at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia for children up to age 18 years and at the Georgia Cancer Center for adults.
If you have a family history of cancer, we strongly encourage you to reach out to the Hereditary Cancer Clinic and make an appointment. Knowing your family history is an important step in cancer prevention. You can reach the clinic at the same number for the TSC Clinic.
