Dr. Thomas Walden named Provider of Excellence
Radiation Oncologist Dr. Thomas Walden was named the 2022 UNC Health Southeastern Dr. D.E. Ward Jr. Provider of Excellence during a surprise presentation at the UNC Health Southeastern Medical Staff Holiday Party held December 9. The award, established in 2017, is presented on an annual basis to a provider who best embodies the attributes exhibited by the late Dr. Ward.
"Dr. Walden has worked tirelessly to create the radiation oncology program from the beginning to expansion, including Certificate of Need work with the state and stabilizing and rebuilding after the fire," said UNC Health Southeastern Vice President/Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joe Roberts. "He supports this hospital system through generous donations both monetarily and with his time. According to a Gibson Cancer Center teammate, he has compassion for every member of the team and his car can be found at Gibson Cancer Center every weekend, ensuring that his patients are prepared for treatment."
Dr. Walden joined the medical staff of UNC Health Southeastern in 1999 and has served as full-time radiation oncologist for UNC Health Southeatern’s Gibson Cancer Center. He is certified by the American Board of Radiology in therapeutic radiology.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Dr. Walden moved to North Carolina as a teen and attended schools in Raleigh. He earned an undergraduate degree from N.C. State University. In 1979 he received a master's degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his Ph.D. in radiation biology there in 1983. He conducted basic research on the biological effects of radiation as a research scientist at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, before entering Georgetown University where he earned his medical degree in 1993. He completed residency training in radiation oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda in 1997.
Dr. Walden was attracted to Lumberton for the private practice opportunity here and for the association with Dr. Hugh Bryan of Fayetteville. He is married to Medical Oncologist/Hematologist Dr. Gail Leget and lives in Lumberton.
The Dr. D.E. Ward Jr. Provider of Excellence Award is named in honor of Dr. Ward’s 58 years of service on the UNC Health Southeastern Medical Staff and for his tireless devotion to providing the highest quality of care to his patients, as well as his continuous efforts to improve the health system and the community. Previous winners include Drs. John Rozier, Robin Peace, Samuel Britt and Obiefuna Okoye.
