Our team of physicians, nurses, and professional support staff bring years of experience and expertise to your child's individual needs, providing the best possible chance for recovery.
Our staff includes board-certified pediatric hematologists/oncologists , pediatric stem cell transplant physicians, pediatric neuro-oncologists, pediatric neuropsychologists , advanced practice nurses, case managers, social workers, creative art therapists/child life specialists, and learning consultants.
Specialized Nursing Care
Advanced practice nurses are involved in every aspect of caring for patients and their families.
In the outpatient setting, the advanced practice nurses coordinate all patient-related services. In conjunction with the physicians, they review the therapeutic protocols and determine the daily investigations and treatments.
These nurses ensure a smooth flow of treatments and serve as a resource for families and staff by providing support, education, and consultation. At the conclusion of each day, they convene a multidisciplinary conference to discuss each patient's status, psychosocial issues, laboratory results, and treatment plan.
For inpatients, the advanced practice nurses provide a link between the patient and the nursing staff on the unit.
Advanced practice nurses also coordinate home care services and hospice care, and they make school visits to ease transition of patients from the hospital to the classroom and community.
Physician Team:
Michael B. Harris, M.D.
Director, Institute for Pediatric Cancer and Blood DIsorders
Chief, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Senior Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Professor of Pediatrics
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School
Medical School Education
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Pediatric Oncology-Hematology, Bone Tumors, Leukemia, Lymphomas, Phase II Drug Development
Caroline Hu, M.D.
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Medical School Education
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Board Certification
American Board of Pediatrics
Post-graduate Training
Internship / Residency - Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY
Fellowship - Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY
Cindy Steele, M.D.
Associate Director, Institute for Pediatric Cancer and Blood DIsorders
Director, Outpatient Department, Reuten Clinic
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Medical School Education
Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Monmouth Medical Center, New Jersey
Fellowship - Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Neuroblastoma, Relapsed leukemia, Sickle cell anemia, Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), Iron overload
Burton Appel, M.D.
Principal Investigator, Oncology, Children’s Oncology Group
Study Chair, COG Protocol AHOD03P1 for newly-diagnosed low-risk Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School
Medical School Education
University of Chicago
Post-graduate Training
Pediatric Residency - University of Chicago
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship - University of Chicago
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Hodgkin's Disease, Bioethics and Public Health
Steven H. Diamond, M.D.
Attending Physician, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Medical School Education
University of Pennsylvania
Post-graduate Training
Pediatric Residency - Mount Sinai Medical Center
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship - Beth Israel Medical Center
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Blood Banking, Hemoglobin Disorders, Childhood Cancer
Frances Flug, M.D.
Director of the Pediatric Hematology Program
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School
Medical School Education
State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center
Post-graduate Training
Residency - New York University Medical Center
Fellowship - New York University Medical Center
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Childhood cancer, Hemophilia, Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), Childhood hemostasis and thrombosis, Sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies
Jennifer A. Freed, M.D.
Medical School Education
Chicago Medical School, North Chicago, IL
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC
Fellowship - Columbia University, New York, NY
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Board Eligible
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Sickle cell anemia, Neuroblastoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma
Paul Harlow, M.D.
Clinical Associate Senior Attending
Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Senior Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Medical School Education
State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Bronx Municipal Medical Center
Fellowship - Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Immune Cytopenias, Bleeding Disorders
Bruce N. Terrin, M.D.
Clinical Associate Senior Attending
Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Senior Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Medical School Education
New York University School of Medicine
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York
Fellowship - Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Stephen J. Thompson, M.D.
Chief, Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Program
Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Clinical Assistant, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital, HackensackUMC
Medical School Education
UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Post-graduate Training
Residency in Pediatrics: UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Residency in Pediatric Neurology: UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School
Fellowship in Neuro-Oncology: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology
Clinical and Research Interests
Neuro-Oncology, Chemotherapy for Brain Tumors, New Agents (Phase-I and Phase-II trials for Brain Tumors), Neurologic and Cognitive Complications of Childhood Cancer
Alfred P. Gillio, M.D.
Section Chief, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Attending, Department of Pediatrics
The Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital
Hackensack University Medical Center
Medical School Education
Medical College of Virginia
Post-graduate Training
Residency - Medical School of Virginia
Fellowship - Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certification
Pediatrics
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Clinical and Research Interests
Bone Marrow Failure (e.g., Fanconi Anemia), Bone Marrow Transplantation, Cytokine Therapy