Support Raising the Smoking Age to 21
Feb 27, 2017
The 85th Texas Legislative Session is in full swing. On Wednesday, February 15, a bill was filed in the House by Representative (and physician) John Zerwas (R) to raise ... continue
What I Would Like to See in Healthcare Reform (Part 1)
Feb 12, 2017
I often tell people that if all I had to do was take care of patients, life would be grand. It is the countless hours of dealing with the ... continue
Resolve to Improve the Health of our Region
Jan 03, 2017
January is a time of resolution, and often our New Year resolutions focus on diet and exercise. My friends, we need a city, county, and region resolution to lose weight ... continue
Add HPV Vaccination to Your Kids' Christmas List
Dec 06, 2016
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) refers to itself as the nation's health protection agency. Among other things, they monitor infectious disease outbreaks (such as Zika, influenza or ... continue
History and Medicine in Angelina County
Nov 01, 2016
I recently came into possession of Angelina County Medical Society meeting minutes dating back 80 years, from 1936 to 1954. These archives were kept by Dr. W. D. Thames ... continue
Empowered – and Inundated – by Pink
Oct 04, 2016
There is a minor malady that comes around every season. It is characterized by a drop in energy, glazed eyes, and a strong desire just to sit and do ... continue
Prostate Cancer Screening Saves Lives
Sep 06, 2016
Over the last 30 years, I have been witness to a remarkable change in how we diagnose and treat prostate cancer. Prior to the mid-1980s, prostate cancer was detected most ... continue
Colorectal Cancer Screening: 80% by 2018
Aug 02, 2016
Katie Couric has raised awareness of colorectal cancer ever since her husband died of the disease in 1998. Yet colorectal cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death ... continue
The Significance of an Ethical Foundation
Jul 05, 2016
Last month, I wrote about the role of the hospital Ethics Committee and commented that open and honest communication between healthcare professionals, patients and family solves most ethical dilemmas ... continue
The Role of the Hospital Ethics Committee
Jun 07, 2016
For most of my 25 years in medical practice, I have been involved in hospital ethics committees. You may not know that ethics committees exist, or that there are ... continue
Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives
May 03, 2016
For more than 50 years now, we have known the dangers of smoking. That smoking causes heart disease, emphysema, and lung and other cancers is not in dispute. For ... continue
Let's Not Get Trumped
Apr 05, 2016
I am ashamed. I wrote that phrase recently on a Facebook post of two Finnish friends who are looking across the ocean with a combination of disgust and disbelief ... continue
Cancer Brings Out a Range of Emotions
Mar 01, 2016
I hate cancer. Hate is a bad word, I know. My mother always got on to me when I said I hated something or someone. We raise our children ... continue
Doctors Must Reinstill Sense of Duty
Feb 02, 2016
This article was originally published at Houston Chronicle http://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/Doctors-must-reinstill-sense-of-duty-6733668.php?t=d4a64f80cb&cmpid=email-premium and is reprinted here with permission from the author (me). I am a physician. Being a doctor defines me. Whether I ... continue
Social Media Diet for the New Year
Jan 05, 2016
I have resolved to start a new diet this year. Not the typical food diet, mind you – there is certainly nothing wrong with that. I am going on a ... continue
Feeding the Hungry this Holiday Season
Dec 01, 2015
Our series of articles titled Business is Everyone’s Business has focused so far on various employers, both large and small, and their economic or employment impact in the region ... continue
PineCrest has Far-reaching Economic Impact
Nov 03, 2015
Mayor Bob Brown, City Manager Keith Wright, Chamber CEO Jim Johnson and other local government and business leaders recently launched a series titled Business is Everyone’s Business. The purpose ... continue
Cattle Baron's Gala Supports Local Cancer Patients
Oct 06, 2015
I always look forward to the Pineywoods Cattle Baron's Gala. Not only do I have a good time, I know the money raised is going to a great cause - ... continue
Jimmy Carter's Cancer Revelation
Sep 01, 2015
When a current or former President of the United States has a major health problem, it is international news. And when a former president has cancer, we all take ... continue
A New Generation of Leaders
Aug 04, 2015
A new generation of leadership is emerging in Lufkin. For those of us who have volunteered for various organizations over the years, there has been a hunger to see ... continue
Doctors Are From Another Planet
Jul 07, 2015
Jupiter and Venus aligned recently in what was called a Bethlehem Star event. The next time the two planets appear this close together will be in 2023. The rarity ... continue
Doing the Right Thing, One Day at a Time
Jun 02, 2015
As I write this column, it is Saturday morning of Memorial Day weekend. I have been at my office several hours working on patient charts and mapping out cancer treatment ... continue
A New Era of Cancer Survivorship
May 05, 2015
We are surviving cancer in greater numbers than ever! The American Medical Association's new oncology journal, JAMA Oncology, presented encouraging statistics in their inaugural issue on how many of ... continue
New Cancer Fighting Technology in Lufkin
Apr 07, 2015
Last week, the Temple Cancer Center treated the first patients on our new Elekta Synergy linear accelerator, the first major investment of Memorial since the CHI acquisition. To say, "We ... continue
A Spoonful of Sugar
Mar 02, 2015
I don't think I'm unique in having a family that discusses medical issues at the dinner table. But in a family with a doctor, sometimes discussions – to the ... continue
Cancer is a Global Problem
Feb 03, 2015
Tomorrow is World Cancer Day. We think we have a cancer problem in the US, and we do. But other countries, especially the poorer ones, are truly suffering. Two ... continue
Recognizing Stages of Grief
Jan 06, 2015
My father recently passed away from pancreatic cancer at age 81. What a devastating disease! He lasted a mere two months. Thanks to attentive physicians and great hospice care ... continue
Living Between the Dates
Dec 02, 2014
As a cancer physician, reading obituaries is, unfortunately, part of my job description. I don't mean to be morbid about it. Not everyone who gets cancer dies from it ... continue
Tips for Success in Any Office Environment
Nov 04, 2014
My wife, Catherine, starting working for St. Cyprian's Episcopal Church as Parish Administrator about four and a half years ago. We were close to empty nesting at the time, and ... continue
One Teacher's Story of Cancer and Community Support
Oct 07, 2014
I have had the privilege over the last few months of speaking at Lions and Rotary Club lunches about cancer and the work of the American Cancer Society. My tag ... continue
Dr. Sid Roberts is an Eagle Scout, a graduate of Rice University, and he received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and radiation oncology residency. He is board certified in both Radiation Oncology and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He has practiced in Lufkin, Texas at the Temple Cancer Center at CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial since 1992. He is also a long time medical director for Hospice in the Pines.
He served on the board of Memorial Health System of East Texas (now called CHI St. Luke’s Health Memorial Lufkin), chaired the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce board, was President of the Angelina Arts Alliance board, was President of the St. Cyprian’s School Board, served on the Executive Board of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, and was President of the Texas Radiological Society. He served many years on the High Plains Division board of the American Cancer Society and is currently on the board of Angelina College. He is active in Lufkin's First Baptist Church, where he can often be found at the keyboards. He has written a monthly column for the Lufkin News since 2013.