Our Providers
All our physicians are board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. Our providers include Wilmington natives and people from as far away as California. We have all been drawn to Cape Fear Pediatrics by our shared commitment to providing your child the very best healthcare available.
Thomas Blackstone, MD, FAAP, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics in 1992. Dr. Blackstone attended college and medical school at Ohio State University. He served as a naval flight surgeon stationed at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station from 1970 to 1972. He went on to pediatric residency at Columbus Children’s Hospital, serving as chief resident in 1975. Dr. Blackstone practiced thirteen years in Mansfield, Ohio and four years in Tuscaloosa, Alabama before making his home in Wilmington. His clinical interests include ADHD and infectious diseases. Dr. Blackstone is the current Chair of Pediatrics at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and has served on the boards of Wilmington Health Access for Teens, Coastal Physicians Alliance, and Cape Fear Hospital. Tom lives in Wilmington with his wife Marilyn and has five children and four grandchildren. When not in his garden Tom enjoys jogging, swimming, and biking. He and Marilyn have done missionary work in Haiti and the Dominican Republic and attend Port City Community Church.
Mary Gaylord, MD, FAAP, joined Cape Fear Pediatrics in 2001. She is the youngest of 5 siblings and grew up traveling with her family in the Navy. After graduating from Davidson, Mary spent a year helping inventory the gastropods in Mochima Bay Venezuela through a Chan Gorden Memorial Scholarship. Taking her aunt's advice that, "you can be a doctor and do marine biology on the side, but you can't be a marine biologist and do medicine on the side," Mary did her medical training at UNC Chapel Hill and then went on to complete her pediatric residency at ECU. She is interested in Public Health and is fluent in Spanish. She and her husband, Beckwith, enjoy working with local migrant farm-worker communities and serving as missionaries in Latin America each year. Mary loves home improvement projects, gardening, reading, sailing and spending time at the beach.
David L. Hill, MD, FAAP, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics from Durham, North Carolina, in 2002. A Memphis native, David attended Rice University then enrolled at the University of Texas Houston Medical School. David moved to North Carolina to train in pediatrics and internal medicine at UNC Chapel Hill and is board certified in both specialties. He continues to serve the UNC School of Medicine as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. Dr. Hill is interested in kidney diseases and genetic disorders, as well as evidence-based medicine and best practices; he is fluent in Spanish. David writes a monthly column for Wilmington Parent and records monthly commentaries for NPR affiliate WHQR. His essays have appeared on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. He lives in Wilmington with his wife Dr. Margaret B. Collins-Hill (a nephrologist) and their three children ages two, five, and seven. He enjoys running, cooking, and chasing his kids.
Hoke Ward Pollock, MD, FAAP, is a life-long Wilmingtonian, having returned to Cape Fear Pediatrics in 2005 following training at UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He completed his medical and residency training at UNC as well, and has a special interest in vaccination issues and infant nutrition; he is fluent in Spanish. Dr. Pollock lives in Wilmington with his wife and 3 boys, and enjoys running, tennis, and playing the piano.
Rajesh B. Solanki, MD, FAAP, was born, raised, and resides in Wilmington, North Carolina. Dr. Solanki attended the local schools here and graduated from Hoggard High School before attending UNC Chapel Hill and later ECU School of Medicine. He completed his residency at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City and was Chief Resident of Pediatrics at his program. Dr. Solanki practiced as a solo pediatrician in the town of Burgaw, North Carolina, before joining us here at Cape Fear Pediatrics in 2004. Dr. Solanki has a special interest in pharmaceutical research and has been a sub-investigator in over a dozen clinical trials. He currently serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pediatrics for the UNC School of Medicine. Raj is an enthusiastic runner and tennis player.
Ross E. Williams, MD, FAAP, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics in 1998 after practicing in Zanesville, Ohio for 23 years. He trained at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and has a special interest in children and adolescents with developmental and behavioral concerns. Dr. Williams honed his expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, autism, and other developmental disorders while serving as the staff pediatrician of the Children’s Developmental Services Agency from 1999 to 2006. He has studied at the Center for Development and Learning with Dr. Mel Levine. Ross lives in Wilmington with his wife, daughter, and two-year-old grandson. Dr. Williams is active in his church and also enjoys fishing and boating.
Beth Deaton RN, PNP, has worked at Cape Fear Pediatrics since 2006. She has been a Nurse Practitioner for over 10 years. Beth received her B.S. in Nursing at the University of Tulsa and her M.S. in Pediatric Nursing and Post-Master's PNP certificate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has special interests in adolescents, child maltreatment, and behavioral health issues of children; she is fluent in Spanish. She is a Child Medical Examiner for the North Carolina Child Medical Evaluation Program. Her professional memberships include the North Carolina Nurses' Association, the American Society of Professionals on the Abuse of Children, and the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. She was awarded the North Carolina Nurses' Association Nurse Preceptor of the Year Award in 2002. Beth has lived in Wilmington for 22 years with her husband, Ted. They have three children, Lisa (28), Neal, (25), and Lori, (24). Her hobbies include gardening, golfing and spending time at the beach.
Christy Eakins, PA-C, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics in 1998. She trained at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado and has a special interest in infant care and breastfeeding support. Christy lives in Wrightsville Beach with her husband Darrin (an orthopedic surgeon) and 2 children, Emily (9) and Alex (7). Christy is active with the PTA at Wrightsville Beach School, volunteers at Wrightsville Beach Methodist Church and writes the newsletter for the Port City Skating Club at the Wilmington Ice House. She treasures time spent with her family as well as snow skiing, running, boating, reading, and traveling.
Diane Parker, RN, MSN, FNP-C, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics in 2003. Diane is originally from California, where she attended nursing school. She completed nurse practitioner school at UNC Wilmington in 2001. She has special clinical interests in adolescent issues, asthma, and breastfeeding. Diane lives in Wilmington with her husband Steve and their three children ages 12, 9, and 3 years. Diane also enjoys traveling, boating, the beach, and gardening.
Trilby Shier, PA-C, came to Cape Fear Pediatrics in January 2006 as a recent graduate of the Duke University Physician Assistant Program. She holds a Masters in Health Sciences from Duke and a Bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She is also a professional dancer who tours with a local dance company and works in the film industry. Trilby has taught ballet and jazz; as a graduate student she started a dance class for children with disabilities. She lives in Wilmington and enjoys kayaking and spending time outdoors.
Tanya Sue Todd, PA-C, is Cape Fear Pediatrics’ newest addition. She joined our practice in early 2007 after receiving her training at East Carolina University. Tanya earned a Master’s degree in Science from East Carolina University in 2006 and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UNCW in 1999. Prior to her medical education, Tanya has worked as a crisis counselor, a residential counselor in a youth shelter, has spent a summer working at a local fruit stand and has traveled across the U.S. Tanya now lives in the Wilmington area with her 4 year-old daughter Madison, with whom she enjoys playing dress-up, tea party and painting. On occasion, they go fishing.