Mercy expands access to surgical care in southeast Missouri

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — Two advanced practice providers are returning to their Southeast Missouri roots to help expand patient access to surgical care at Mercy Southeast.

Nurse practitioner Sydney VanGennip, originally from Leopold, and physician assistant Addison Caraway, a Jackson native, have joined Mercy Clinic General Surgery – Broadway, located at 1723 S. Broadway, Suite 310 in Cape Girardeau. The clinic provides a full range of surgical services, including biopsies, gallbladder and hernia procedures, and skin surgeries.

VanGennip, who has worked in health care for 11 years, began her career as a certified medication aide before becoming a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care and pediatrics units. She later became a family nurse practitioner in primary care. She earned her associate degree in nursing from Mercy’s Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Cape Girardeau, and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Chamberlain University in Illinois.

“Mercy mirrors my own commitment to providing high-quality, patient-focused care to our rural communities while making health care accessible and affordable,” VanGennip said. “I’m drawn to surgery because it enables me to make a real difference in my patients’ lives.”

VanGennip and her husband, Darren, have three sons and two dogs. She enjoys being outdoors, hunting, watching sports, and spending time with family and friends.

Caraway earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and her graduate degree in physician assistant studies from Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee. Before attending graduate school, she worked with the surgical team at Mercy Southeast.

“I look forward to developing meaningful relationships with patients while contributing to a collaborative environment that offers compassionate, patient-centered care,” Caraway said. “Being able to help patients through some of their most vulnerable moments while guiding them through recovery is a great privilege.”

Caraway enjoys spending time with her husband, family, friends, and her Cavachon dog. She also likes to cook and cheer on her alma mater, Ole Miss.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with VanGennip or Caraway, contact Mercy Clinic General Surgery – Broadway at 573-519-4540.