Now celebrating more than 20 years in practice, Arboretum Obstetrics & Gynecology provides each patient with the highest caliber of health care, based on their individual needs. Founded by Dr. Sophia Paige-Feemster in 1999, the practice has grown to include Dr. Octavia Cannon, Dr. Mala Freeman-Kwaku and Dr. Deborah Warren. Together, these four board-certified physicians offer their patients more than eighty years of combined expertise in their chosen field of medicine.
Women Doctors for Women Patients
The practice distinguished itself from its inception, guided by the principle that women should have a place with a welcoming atmosphere they could readily turn to for quality health care. Arboretum OB/GYN has always embraced patient-centered care, demonstrating a firm commitment to approaching health care as a partnership between physician and patient: Each woman is encouraged to voice her individual concerns and preferences, empowering the patient to act as her own advocate and play an active role in determining the course of her health care journey.
Arboretum OB/GYN takes great pride in being the only all-female obstetrics and gynecology practice in Charlotte. This philosophy extends to the all-female support staff engaged by the practice, all of whom are experienced and highly trained clinical and billing personnel.
Dr. Paige-Feemster recognized an unmet need in the community for a practice catering to the increasingly culturally diverse population that has settled in the area as a consequence of the unprecedented growth Charlotte and the surrounding region has experienced in recent decades.
Arboretum OB/GYN takes great pride in being the only all-female obstetrics and gynecology practice in Charlotte. As the Queen City’s demographics have become increasingly multicultural, having an OB/GYN practice staffed by all women has taken on heightened significance, as for patients from certain cultural backgrounds, it is imperative their OB/GYN be a woman.
Dr. Sophia Paige-Feemster
Dr. Paige-Feemster received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and moved to the Charlotte area in July 1996. Three years later, she decided to strike out on her own to realize her dream of opening a smaller, more personalized practice, Arboretum OB/GYN. Dr. Paige-Feemster was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio; she is a widowed mother of a daughter who is a sixth-grader.
Dr. Octavia Cannon
Originally from Michigan, Dr. Cannon came to Charlotte to attend Johnson C. Smith University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. Dr. Cannon returned to Charlotte in 1999 and joined Arboretum OB/GYN in 2005. In 2018, Dr. Cannon began her tenure as the President of the American College of Osteopathic OB/GYN (ACOOG); she was the first African American to head this national organization since its founding in 1934.
Dr. Mala Freeman-Kwaku
Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Dr. Mala Freeman-Kwaku received her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and began practicing at Arboretum OB/GYN in 2002. Dr. Freeman-Kwaku and Dr. Cannon are fluent in Spanish, an asset to the practice and its goal of reaching out to women across Charlotte’s multicultural spectrum. Dr. Freeman-Kwaku is a wife and mother of four children.
Dr. Deborah Warren
Originally from Akron, Ohio, Dr. Deborah Warren received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and has been a part of the Arboretum OB/GYN team for six years. Dr. Warren is a wife and mother of four children.
Servant Leaders
Each of the physicians at Arboretum OB/GYN are natural leaders with a strong shared commitment to serving their patients and the community at large. Dr. Cannon explains, “Everyone in our practice has a sense of purpose, we all contribute in our own way.”
Dr. Paige-Feemster is an active alum with UVA and serves on the Jefferson Scholarship Committee; Dr. Cannon is active in the Junior League of Charlotte, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and The Crown Jewels (NC) Chapter of The Links, a volunteer service organization; Dr. Freeman-Kwaku is active in her church, Lighthouse Chapel International; and Dr. Warren goes to Haiti each year to volunteer.
A Full Range of Services to Meet All Your OB/GYN Needs
You can trust Arboretum OB/GYN to provide cutting edge technology combined with convenience, as the practice offers a full range of onsite services including ultrasound, colposcopy, cryotherapy and LEEP machinery. In addition to assisting patients with their individual prenatal and birthing plans, the physicians at Arboretum OB/GYN specialize in a comprehensive assortment of women’s health care services including birth control, STD checks, breast lump evaluations, fibroids, endometrial ablation, infertility and when necessary, surgical interventions.
The staff at Arboretum OB/GYN continually strive to provide each patient with excellent health care and customer service.
What You Can Expect from Arboretum OB/GYN
Arboretum OB/GYN is located in South Charlotte in the Arboretum at Belle Grove Office Park. Physicians in the practice perform surgical interventions and deliver babies at Novant Matthews Hospital.
Arboretum OB/GYN is always accepting new patients. If you have a question and your Arboretum OB/GYN physician does not know the answer right away, they will research it and find the correct answer or an expert they can refer you to that can assist you.
Arboretum OB/GYN was honored as the 2020 recipient of the C.W. Williams Community Health Center Pace Setter Award for Community Service in Mecklenburg County. As Arboretum OB/GYN enters its third decade of practice, it continues its commitment to provide compassionate care.
Want to Know More?
To learn more about Arboretum OB/GYN or to book an appointment, visit ArboretumObGyn.com.