Radiation Oncology

Radiation Oncologists

Tom Simko, MD

Education
B.S. University of California at Riverside, 1969
M.D. University of California at Davis, 1973
Internship, Huntington Memorial Medical Center, Pasadena, 1974
Residency, University of Washington and University of California at Los Angeles, 1974-1978

Dr. Simko was board certified by the American Board of Radiology in 1978 and recertified in 1999. He is an active member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO), the Los Angeles Radiologic Society, the Southern California Radiation Oncology Society, and the California Radium Society, as well as the American College of Radiology, California Medical Association and Los Angeles County Medical Association. He serves as District President of LACMA. He serves on numerous committees at TORRANCE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER, the Cancer Committee, Medical Executive Committee, Radiation Safety Committee, and is head of TMMC's Investigational Review Board. Dr. Simko is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA. He is the president of TMMC's Health Care Foundation, a founding board member of the Wellness Community of the South Bay, and serves on its Professional Advisory Board. Outside of work, he enjoys his active family, leisure reading, skiing, and his Chinese language studies.

Dan Hovenstine, MD

Education
B.S. (Biological Sciences) University of California at Irvine, 1979
B.A. (Economics) University of California at Irvine, 1980
M.D. University of Vermont, 1985
Internship, UCLA-San Fernando Valley Program, 1985-1986
Residency, Loma Linda University, 1986-1989

Dr. Hovenstine was board certified by the American Board of Radiology in 1989 and recertified in 1999. He is an active member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO), the Los Angeles Radiologic Society, the Southern California Radiation Oncology Society, the American College of Radiology, and the Los Angeles County Medical Association. He is a member of the board of directors of the Wellness Community of the South Bay, and is chairman of its Professional Advisory Board. His personal interests include biking, hiking, landscaping, travel, and early 20th century art and architecture.

Thyra Endicott, MD

Education
B.A. Harvard University 1984
B.Sc.N. University of California at Los Angeles 1988
M.D. University of Western Ontario, London, Canada 1993
Radiation oncology residency, London Regional Cancer Center, London, Ontario 1993-1998, chief resident 1996-1997
Fellowship in central nervous system radiation oncology, UCLA 1998-1999.

Dr. Endicott was on the clinical faculty at UCLA from 1998 to 2000; she joined Dr. Hovenstine and Dr. Simko at Torrance in June 2000. She continues to serve as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA. She is board certified by the American Board of Radiology and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in the practice of radiation oncology. She is an active member of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO), the Los Angeles Radiologic Society, the California Medical Association, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Southern California Radiation Oncology Society. She is the Principal Investigator for Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) clinical trials at Torrance Memorial. She serves on numerous committees at TORRANCE MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER, including the Breast Cancer Committee, Bioethics Committee, End of Life Care Committee, Radiation Safety Committee, and the Institutional Review Board. She enjoys her family life; music, swimming and tennis are favorite pastimes.

Front Office

Mauricio Sanchez - Office Assistant. Mauricio has been at Torrance Memorial for ten years and with our department for five years. He enjoys spending time with his family, and working out.

Elsa Gonzales - Office Assistant - Enjoys spending time with her son and with her friends, shopping, gardening and bike riding.

Pat Simmons - Front Office - was born in Pensylvania, but grew up in New Orleans. She graduated from Southern University in 1969 with a B.A. in Health Care Management. She has worked at Torrance Memorial for seven years and came to us from the Nursing Office. She is married to a minister and has three daughters and five grandchildren. She loves to do Bible teaching (her favorite chapters are Isaiah and Romans). She also enjoys reading and travelling.

Patient Support

John Westhafer - John was a substance abuse counselor for the Navy and Marine Corps for 15 years prior to coming to Torrance in 1998. He attended Santa Monica College, Cal State Dominguez Hills and UCLA. He loves to swim and run - he and his wife Lorraine are both marathon runners.

Nursing

Ellen Allen, RN - Ellen Allen received her Associate degree in Nursing from Los Angeles Harbor College in 1982, and her Bachelors in Nursing from California State University at Dominguez Hills in 1989. She is a certified Public Health nurse. She has worked in Oncology, Home Health and Hospice for 20 years. She enjoys gardening, bicycling, spending time with her family and remodeling her home.

Toni Schow, RN - Toni Schow graduated from the Holyoke Hospital School of Nursing in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She worked as a medical-surgical charge nurse in Massachusetts, Florida and California. She had 26 years of experience as a nurse in the Radiation Oncology department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center before joining us at Torrance Memorial. She has been a member of the Oncology Nurses Society for over ten years. She and her husband Skip live on a 50 foot trawler at the Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club in San Pedro. Needless to say, she enjoys boating, the ocean, and reading.

Dietitian

Kathy Runquist, RD - Registered Dietician. Certification in Nutrition Support. B.S. from Winthrop College, Rock Hill, South Carolina; Dietetic Internship from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. She has worked at Torrance Memorial for 23 years; for the last 13 years she has worked with patients undergoing radiation therapy. Her personal interests include quilting and reading.

Physics and Dosimetry

John Bellotti - Physicist - John Bellotti received his B.A. in Physics and Mathematics in 1980 from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and was honored with Phi Beta Kappa membership. He received his M.S. in Medical Physics in 1985 from the University of California at Los Angeles. He has worked as a physicist at Cedars-Sinai and Kaiser Permanente. He came to Torrance Memorial Medical Center in 1991. He serves as the Radiation Safety Officer for the medical center. He is an active member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, and serves as President of its Southern California Chapter. He is an active member of the American College of Radiology, the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, the California Radiological Society, the Los Angeles Radiological Society and the Health Physics Society.

Peter J. Rosemark, Ph.D.
Education
Sc.B. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1977
M.Sc. University of California at Los Angeles, 1979
Ph.D. University of California at Los Angeles, 1982

Dr. Rosemark was board certified by the American Board of Radiology in 1984 and by the American Board of Medical Physics in 1989. He is an active member of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine and is a past-President of its Southern California Chapter. His other memberships include the American College of Medical Physics, American College of Radiology, and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. He is the author of over twenty articles and abstracts on various radiation oncology physics topics. Outside of work, he enjoys playing softball, traveling, and attending the occasional Springsteen concert.

Pradip Shah - RT (R)(T)(CT)(CMD) - Dosimetrist, certified by the Medical Dosimetry certification board. He attended Children's Hospital for his training in Diagnostic Radiology and graduated from County USC Medical Center School of Radiation Therapy. He received his dosimetry training at Torrance Memorial Medical Center. He is an active member of the American Association of Medical Dosimetry, the Southern California Society of Radiation Therapists, and the American Society of Radiation Technology. He is a clinical student supervisor for the School of Radiation Therapy at City of Hope Medical Center. He enjoys hiking, ping-pong, cricket, basketball, and spending time at home with family.

Therapists

Kent Amano - RT (R)(T) - Attended Pasadena City College for Diagnostic Radiology and Loma Linda University School of Radiation Therapy. He received his B.S. in Business Administration from California State University at Long Beach in 1991. He enjoys snowboarding, watching sporting events and sleeping in on weekends.

Nathan Higashigawa - RT (R)(T) - Attended El Camino College for Diagnostic Radiology and attended County USC Medical Center School of Radiation Therapy. He is a member of the Southern California Society of Radiation Therapists, and the American Society of Radiation Therapists. He enjoys playing basketball, traveling and competing in Canine Frisbee Competitions with his dog.

Guy Ruckdaschel - RT (R)(T) - is a life-long resident of the South Bay. He received his Associate's degree in Radiologic Technology from El Camino College in 1989. He gained his Certificate degree in Radiation Therapy at City of Hope Medical Center in 1995. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Radiation Therapy at Weber State University. He enjoys spending time with his family, playing soccer, mountain biking, hiking and gardening.

Tony Switzer - RT (R)(T) - Attended El Camino College for Diagnostic Radiology and attended City of Hope School of Radiation Therapy. He is a member of the American Society of Radiation Therapists. He enjoys traveling, skiing, fishing, photography and spending time relaxing with family.

Judy Winn - RT (R)(T) - Attended El Camino College for Diagnostic Radiology and attended City of Hope School of Radiation Therapy. She is a member of the Southern California Society of Radiation Therapists, and the American Society of Radiation Therapists. She enjoys traveling, reading and spending relaxing time at home with family.

Christine Holguin - RT (R)(T) - Attended City of Hope School for Radiation Therapy. She spent her student intern year with us at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, and made an outstanding impact. After graduation she returned as a staff therapist. She is a member of the Southern California Society of Radiation Therapists, and the American Society of Radiation Therapists. She enjoys traveling and sports.

Jennifer Sequeira - RT (R)(T) graduated from the City of Hope Radiation Therapy training program. She is an enthusiastic snowboarder and also enjoys kayaking with her husband and children.

Samantha Quintus - RT (R)(T) graduated as the valedictorian in Diagnostic Radiology at Long Beach City College. She attended City of Hope Medical Center for her radiation therapy training. She is a member of the American Society of Radiation Therapists. She is an animal lover who also enjoys traveling, automotive mechanics, and being an aircraft crew member for the United States Air Force.