Board-Certified Medical Oncologist Comes to Beaufort Memorial

Darren E. Mullins, M.D., a board-certified, fellowship-trained medical oncologist, has joined Beaufort Memorial Oncology Specialists, part of the hospital’s nationally recognized Keyserling Cancer Center in Beaufort.

Dr. Mullins brings extensive knowledge of the full range of established and emerging therapies—among them chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy—to the treatment of a wide variety of cancers, including those of the breast, prostate, head and neck, GI system and blood.

The Tennessee native had spent the whole of his career at medical oncology practices in the South before deciding to, as he put it, “do something different.” In 2017 he accepted an offer to establish a new practice and service line at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna, Alaska, returning to home base after six rewarding, productive years to join Beaufort Memorial. No stranger to the Palmetto State, Mullins founded Waccamaw Oncology in Georgetown/Murrells Inlet and practiced there from 2002 through 2013.

He holds a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in Birmingham and a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry, cum laude, from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and completed a residency in internal medicine at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Memphis and a fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, (now known as UVA Health).

“Dr. Mullins brings unmistakable expertise and compassion to the practice of medical oncology, a specialty that requires both,” said Russell Baxley, president and chief executive officer at Beaufort Memorial. “Area patients will greatly benefit from his care.”

Awarded full accreditation with special commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons, the Keyserling Cancer Center in Beaufort and the New River Cancer Center in Okatie provide access to medical oncology, radiation oncology, cancer surgeries, and lab, imaging, infusion and breast health services. Both centers are affiliated with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC Health) and its experienced subspecialists to provide additional treatment options when needed, as well as access to promising clinical trials, allowing local treatment for even the most complex cancers.

As part of the hospital’s two cancer centers, the Beaufort Memorial Oncology Specialists practice offers treatment for broadly ranging cancers and benign hematological conditions. Dr. Mullins will treat patients at the Beaufort medical oncology office, located in suite 310 of Beaufort Medical Plaza, 989 Ribaut Road, with board-certified nurse practitioners Katy Jones and Susanne Baisch. Dr. Stephen Tiley leads the Okatie medical oncology office at the New River Cancer Center, located in the Okatie Medical Pavilion, 122 Okatie Center Blvd. North. For more information or to make an appointment with Mullins or any of the other medical oncology providers, call (843) 522-7350, or visit BeaufortMemorial.org/cancer.

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry Welcomes New Board Members

The Community Foundation of the Lowcountry is pleased to welcome four new members to our Board of Directors, effective July 1, 2023. Board members serve three-year terms and can serve a total of two terms:

Laura A. Bush – Throughout an accomplished 40-plus year career in public service, Bush has been a fixture in her native Bluffton and continues to have a positive impact on generations of Beaufort County residents. Bush served 26 years as an elected member of the Beaufort County Board of Education and finished her tenure on the board as vice chair. She also spent 13 years as Emergency Assistance Coordinator for Beaufort County and created a countywide management system for local agencies and churches. Bush currently serves on multiple local boards, including Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry, and has served on several others. Bush has received numerous awards and recognitions, including from the South Carolina House of Representatives, Beaufort County Council, NAACP, South Carolina School Board, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bluffton MLK Committee.

Faye Gooding – A lifetime resident of the Lowcountry, Gooding retired in 2019 from Le Creuset, the world’s leading cookware brand, where she worked for nearly 40 years in various executive leadership roles, most recently as CEO of Le Creuset North America. During her tenure as CEO, Le

Creuset launched ecommerce in the USA and Canada and expanded to more than 100 retail stores in North America. Gooding’s footprint in Hampton County is vast: she served on the Board of Directors of Hampton Regional Medical center for six years and (two as chair) and currently serves on the Varnville town council. In 2021, Gooding created Hampton County Citizens for Active Restoration (HCCAR), a non-partisan citizens forum working to improve local government services, county facilities, schools, and work skills training. For her work with HCCAR, Gooding was honored with Rotary Club of Hampton County’s Citizen of the Year in June of this year.

Judi Levy – Born in Oceanside, CA and raised primarily in Norfolk, VA, Levy had a distinguished law career combined with a strong commitment to public service. Public service has always been a priority for Levy’s family. She began her law career assisting American industries impacted by foreign countries inundating the U.S. marketplace with their products. She established a scholarship fund at the Yale University Law School (with the sole requirement being a commitment to public service in their career) and took leadership roles with various organizations’ boards, including Juvenile Protection Association, Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools, Chicago Foundation for Women, and Montgomery County of Coalition for the Homeless. In 2011, Levy moved to Hilton Head and has volunteered for local community organizations, including Memory Matters and Volunteers in Medicine.

Please see NEW BOARD on page 44A

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