Dr. Bruce Smith, a caring physician for women of all ages

Streator and the surrounding communities have been blessed by the arrival of Bruce Smith, MD, Obstetrician/Gynecologist. Dr. Smith recently opened Cameo Women’s Healthcare at 104 Sixth Street, Suite 206. Dr. Smith named the practice himself. He chose Cameo because he wanted the name to be feminine while reflecting his belief that all women should be treasured ... and they should, in turn, treasure their health. That belief is what motivates him to provide personal, individualized attention to each of his patients.

“My patients count on me, and I like to give them the best medical care possible,” Dr. Smith said.

This is reflected in his preference for delivering the babies of every patient he sees. After dedicating so much time and care to the mother throughout her pregnancy, Dr. Smith likes to be there to see the end result. This wasn’t always an easy task when he worked in Chicago. At one point, he was delivering over 400 babies a year!

Dr. Smith is looking forward to getting to know patients better and establishing long-term relationships with them, something that the pace of the city really did not allow. However, he brings area patients a wealth of experience that he accumulated during his eight years in Chicago, including his expertise in dealing with a wide range of high-risk pregnancies.

Dr. Smith typically receives a good deal of business as a result of excellent word of mouth. In Chicago, for example, he had several patients with Crohn’s Disease. After her successful treatment, one patient spread the word to several acquaintances dealing with the same problem. In a similar occurence, Dr. Smith delivered babies for some wives of Chicago White Sox players. The athletes, of course, gave Dr. Smith grief for being a New York Yankees’ fan.

After considering other offers, Dr. Smith decided to join St. Mary’s team because he felt the staff shared his philosophy of putting patients first. When he was a child growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he became aware of the challenges some people faced in trying to obtain any healthcare. That is why he firmly supports the Sisters’ Mission of service to the sick regardless of ability to pay. He also enjoys working on the remodeled Women’s Health Unit which offers a comfortable and caring environment in which both his gynecological and obstetrical patients can recover.

Before pursuing his medical degree, Dr. Smith led a very different life as a teacher at Christ the King High School in Queens, New York, for five years. That background comes in handy when he needs to explain complex medical information, and also helps him to be a proponent of patient education and preventive medicine.

However, teaching and medicine are not this man’s only talents. If you have the opportunity to stop by Dr. Smith’s office, you can view several framed photographs on the walls. Dr. Smith took the photographs himself on various excursions. Photography is a favorite hobby of Dr. Smith’s. In fact, the photo featured in much of his advertising is a self-portrait.

Dr. Smith and his wife Mary moved to Streator last spring during daughter Coralyn’s spring break. She began attending school in Streator following the break to allow her a chance to get to know some children in the area before the summer break.

Dr. Smith looks forward to serving patients in Streator and the surrounding areas for many years to come.