Anne Alaniz, DO
Dr. Anne Alaniz is a Gynecologic Oncologist who has been working for Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, since 2012. She opened her practice soon after finishing her fellowship and has become one of the busiest Gynecologic Oncologist in the area. Her expertise is in surgical management and chemotherapy for women with gynecological cancers including ovarian, primary peritoneal, fallopian tube, uterine, cervix, vaginal and vulvar cancer. She has clinical expertise and minimally invasive surgery including robotic surgery and laparoscopy. She also has special interest in genetics of cancer, and clinical trials to continue to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gynecological cancers.
Dr Alaniz is the Co-Founder of Pothawira (Safe Haven) Christian Mission Organization in her home village around Salima, Malawi. Pothawira was founded in 2009 and has been in full operation since 2011. Pothawira has an outpatient clinic that sees over 5,000 patients a month and a birthing center that provides a safe facility for childbirth with skilled medical personnel to continue to combat the high rates of maternal and neonatal deaths in Malawi. The Birthing Center has delivered over 200 babies since its opening day in August of 2021. In addition, Pothawira is home to 120 orphaned children with 12 widows who care for them. Pothawira provides a Christian centered education for the children in the orphanage as well as over 400 children from the surrounding villages who wouldn’t have access to a good education.
Dr. Alaniz believes that the future of developing countries, like Malawi, lies in the hands of their people. “Developing countries are made up of entrepreneurs, visionaries, and innovative leaders who, if given equity and social justice, have the capacity to be part of developing the economic futures of their country.” This is what drives her to continue to find ways to empower and provide opportunities for children, women, and men, who like her, if given the opportunity, have the capacity to be part of the change they want to see in Malawi.
Dr. Anne Alaniz obtained her undergraduate degree from Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. She attended medical school at University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, Texas and graduated in 2000. She completed a one-year rotational internship at Plaza Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. After that, she completed 4 years of Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at University of Missouri in Kansas City. She then pursued a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at York Hospital in York Pennsylvania which she completed in 2012 prior to joining Houston Methodist Hospital as a gynecologic oncologist.
Dr. Alaniz is board certified by both the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is a member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as well as American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is a member of the American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, an associate member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologist. Dr Alaniz also serves as an Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell College of Medicine and Texas A&M University of College of Medicine.
Dr. Alaniz received an award for outstanding resident of gynecologic endoscopy by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists at University of Missouri in Kansas City. She also received the Outstanding Resident award at Truman Medical Center in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Youngblood Society award for teaching and patient care at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. Dr. Alaniz is recipient of SLS Outstanding Laparoendoscopic Resident Surgeon at University of Missouri in Kansas City. In May 2017, she was honored as a keynote speaker at the medical school’s graduation ceremony and the first recipient of the President’s Distinguished Alumni Award for Service, in recognition of her work in Malawi.
Dr. Alaniz has climbed Kilimanjaro and summited 5 times. She is currently training and preparing to lead a team to climb Kilimanjaro to raise money for the women and children’s health care in Salima, Malawi. After the climb, she will be joined by teams of doctors and nurses from the United States to provide medical and surgical care, to many people from the surrounding villages who would otherwise not have access to that care. Pothawira is in the process of solidifying plans to build a high school integrated with trade school, as well as a surgical center to increase access to surgical expertise through visiting teams from the United States in collaboration with Malawian physician surgeons who will continue the work long after those visits.