TMH Introduces Advanced Treatment Option for Gynecologic Cancer Patients

Patients can now receive interstitial brachytherapy at TMH instead of traveling outside the region for care.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (August 24, 2026) – Women with certain gynecologic cancers now have access to one of the most advanced radiation treatments without leaving North Florida. Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) is now offering interstitial brachytherapy, a highly specialized treatment option for eligible patients.

Interstitial brachytherapy is a form of internal radiation therapy that delivers radiation directly into or around a tumor. Its precision allows physicians to target more difficult-to-reach cancers and limit radiation exposure to healthy organs, including the bladder and bowel. By protecting surrounding healthy tissue, the treatment can reduce the risk of long-term side effects and help preserve quality of life. For some patients, it may also provide an alternative to life-altering surgery.

“Until recently, patients requiring this highly specialized treatment had to travel several hours to Atlanta, Birmingham or Tampa,” said Kathy Brooks, Oncology Administrator at TMH. “By bringing interstitial brachytherapy to the region, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is making this advanced treatment more accessible for women throughout North Florida and South Georgia.”

TMH is home to two board-certified gynecologic oncologists, Amanda Stephens, DO, and Christine Fitzsimmons, DO. At the TMH Cancer Center, patients benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to care. Board-certified radiation oncologists Cilla Poppell, MD, and Joshua Dault, MD, work alongside TMH’s gynecologic oncologists to provide comprehensive cancer care close to home in the Big Bend.

“A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough without having to leave your support system to receive the care you need,” said Cilla Poppell, MD. “Interstitial brachytherapy allows us to deliver highly precise treatment for certain gynecologic cancers while protecting healthy tissue. Most importantly, it gives more women in our region access to this advanced level of care close to home, surrounded by the people who support them.”

To learn more about gynecologic oncology services at TMH, visit TMH.ORG/gynonc.

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Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare

Founded in 1948, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH) is a private, nonprofit community healthcare system committed to transforming care, advancing health and improving lives with an ultimate vision of being known as the most engaged and supportive organization in America. Serving 21 counties in North Florida and South Georgia, TMH is comprised of a 772-bed acute care hospital, a surgery and adult ICU center, a psychiatric hospital, multiple specialty care centers, five residency programs and 50 affiliated physician practices. TMH has established partnerships with Alliant Management Services, Apalachee Center, Calhoun Liberty Hospital, Capital Health Plan, Doctors’ Memorial Hospital, Florida State University, Big Bend Hospice and Radiology Associates.