KINGSTON, Oct. 12, 2015 — Leading breast cancer specialists will discuss vital issues about the disease at a free public-education program from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 22 in the auditorium of the HealthAlliance Hospital Administrative Services Building, 75 Mary's Ave. in Kingston.
"Empower Yourself With Breast Cancer Knowledge" will offer bold, relevant information for women of all ages. This includes women in their 20s, 30s and 40s who may not give much thought to breast cancer if they believe, for instance, that it is only a concern for older women or that the disease always presents itself as a lump in the breast.
Both beliefs are wrong.
Keynote speaker Dr. Zoe Weinstein, a breast surgeon and medical director of HealthAlliance's Fern Feldman Anolick Center for Breast Health, will dispel those misbeliefs and others in a talk called "Five Things You Need to Know About Breast Cancer."
The event will also include a roundtable, with audience involvement, discussing breast health awareness, ways of reducing cancer risks, the role genetics plays, types of breast screenings, types of diagnosis, varieties of treatment, getting through treatment and life after treatment.
The roundtable panelists will be radiation oncologist Dr. Camilo Torres, medical oncologist Dr. Alfonso Cutugno, and licensed clinical social worker and breast cancer survivor Barbara Sarah, founder of the HealthAlliance Oncology Support Program. The support program is the event's sponsor.
"Every year, nearly 260,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer," said support program Director Ellen Marshall, a certified oncology social worker.
"They are women of all ages and all types — young women, older women, wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, friends and loved ones," she said. "The types of breast cancers can be as different as the women diagnosed with them. But the good news is, we know more about breast cancer now than ever before."
Other topics to be covered during the event include:
- How breast cancer is classified and staged
- When surgery is recommended and what type of surgery is most appropriate
- When radiation therapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy, or a combination, is advised
- Why it is important to get a second opinion in making treatment decisions
"Another major issue to be discussed is the importance of a multidisciplinary-team approach to breast cancer care," Marshall said. "The biggest advantage of this is that the patient benefits from the opinion of a group of breast cancer specialists and can feel more confident the specialists have explored all the options."
The HealthAlliance Hospital's accredited cancer program, for instance, has multiple specialists in each cancer discipline, and the recommendations for treatment are based on the specialists' consensus, with consultation from their colleagues in other specialty areas. In addition, the Tumor Board of the hospital's Cancer Committee reviews and discusses patient conditions and treatment options in cases that would benefit from a team review.
"Breast cancer can often seem like a confusing and frightening disease," Marshall said. "But with knowledge and awareness come power. Having the facts can help put your mind at ease and allow you to take your breast health into your own hands."
Light refreshments will be served during the event.
For more information, contact the Oncology Support Program at 845.339.2071 or email doris.blaha@hahv.org.
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About the HealthAlliance Oncology Support Program
The Oncology Support Program is dedicated to ensuring no one faces cancer alone. Its compassionate professionals and volunteers offer support to those affected by cancer, as well as to their families and friends. Our programs promote prevention, wellness and healthy survivorship. Most programs take place in the homelike Herbert H. and Sofia P. Reuner Cancer Support House, 80 Mary's Ave. in Kingston, across from HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary's Avenue Campus.
About HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley®
HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley® is the alignment of HealthAlliance Hospital: Mary's Avenue Campus and Broadway Campus, as well as Margaretville Hospital, Mountainside Residential Care Center and Woodland Pond at New Paltz. As the parent organization with a unified governance structure, the goal of HealthAlliance is to strengthen the quality of care and bring forward enhanced technology to serve the present and future healthcare needs in the Hudson Valley. HealthAlliance and its affiliate facilities are committed to providing compassionate, patient-centered care and ensuring patient safety, privacy and dignity to all. For further information about HealthAlliance, visit our website at www.hahv.org.