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Displaying items by tag: breast cancer

Thursday, 17 October 2019 13:49

When You ‘Think Pink’ Think Mammogram

Don’t Put Off This Important Cancer Screening

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and pink is everywhere. It’s a powerful, wonderful reminder to support breast cancer patients and survivors and the research that is helping them live longer and better.

Pink is also about prevention and early detection—and that means mammograms.

We live in one of the healthiest counties in New York state, yet we lag behind in a critical measure of women’s health: mammography screening.

More than one in five, or 22.1%, of Saratoga County women ages 50 to 74 are skipping their mammograms. If you’re one of these women, you’re missing out on the best chance to find breast cancer early, when treatment tends to be more effective—and your odds of survival are higher.

Saratoga County’s mammography screening rate is lower than that of both the Capital Region and New York state as a whole, excluding New York City. 

We can do better. And that will save lives.

What’s stopping you?

Those of us who work in healthcare hear the excuses all the time. “It costs too much.” “I work, so I don’t have time.” “No one in my family has ever had breast cancer.”

In fact:

• There’s no cost to you. New York state has eliminated annual deductibles and co-payments for annual mammograms—and Saratoga Hospital has taken it a step further. We’ve been offering advanced 3-D mammography since 2015. If your insurance company doesn’t cover the higher-tech 3-D scans, don’t worry. We cover the difference. It’s important to us that you have your mammogram and benefit from the best technology available. 

We also have a no-cost program for patients who don’t have insurance. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, don’t let that stop you.

• We have Saturday and extended weekday hours. You can get your mammogram after work or on the weekend if that’s what fits your schedule. And, no matter when you have your mammogram, you can have confidence in the care you receive and the results. Our Women’s Imaging Center is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) as a “Breast Imaging Center of Excellence.” We’re also the only hospital in the Capital Region to earn the ACR designation of “Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence.”

• Most women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. It’s true that if you have a close relative with breast cancer, you are at higher risk of getting the disease. But only 13%-16% of women with breast cancer fall into that category. The rest are the first in their family to have breast cancer.

So, no excuses. 

The next time you see pink, please, think of and support those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. And, do something for yourself. Schedule your mammogram. Call 518-580-2232, and we’ll take it from there. 

Mildred Aviles is director of medical imaging at Saratoga Hospital. SaratogaHospital.org.

Published in News
Friday, 16 September 2016 12:52

Real Men Wear Pink

SARATOGA COUNTY — David DeMarco, president and CEO of Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company, has made a commitment to represent Saratoga County throughout the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, by wearing pink every day, all 31 days, of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign.

DeMarco, one of a dozen prominent men throughout the Capital Region, will take a stand against breast cancer by encouraging the community to take action, raising funds and awareness about this life-threatening disease. Each Real Men Wear Pink candidate is charged with a fundraising challenge and will compete to be the top fundraiser among the other candidates by the end of the campaign.

"It’s a first time event in the Capital Region, but it’s been done in other parts of the country with some success,” said DeMarco. “I’ve been involved with the American Cancer Society for most of my career, on the board of directors in Glens Falls and shared the first Relay for Life up in Queensbury when I lived there, so when they asked me to participate, it was kind of a no-brainer, an easy decision to get involved. I thought it would be fun for a great cause.”

Starting October 1, the 12 participants must wear pink every day, a task that will not be too difficult for DeMarco. “Luckily, I have a number of pink ties and some pink shirts,” he said. “Every couple of weeks or so I’d wear pink anyway. I hope to take a picture every day, make it fun. Since we’re doing it to raise awareness, there’s a little bit of a competition, though. We’ve been asked to raise $2,500 primarily through social media and personal asks.”

DeMarco hopes to engage Saratoga’s business community, as well, to support this initiative. “Our company is certainly supporting me. Once a month, we have a dress-down Friday where people pay $5 and it typically goes to United Way, but in October our parent company is encouraging people to do it for my campaign against breast cancer,” said DeMarco. “Hopefully all of our employees will be in pink on Friday, October 21.”

The 2016 Real Men Wear Pink participants are:

Carm Basile – CEO, CDTA

Bob Blackman - Vice President Business Development, Realty USA

Dr. Rufus Collea – Oncologist, New York Oncology Hematology

David S. DeMarco - President & CEO, Saratoga National Bank & Trust Co

Corey Ellis – President, Corey L. Ellis Consulting & Management, CECM

Jason Gough – Meteorologist, WNYT-TV

Andrew Guelcher – Director of Variable Operations, Mohawk Honda

Dr. Richard MacDowell, Breast Surgeon, Albany Medical Center

Dr. Lee A. McElroy, Jr - Director of Athletics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Chad O’Hara – Program Director, B95.5

Dr. Duncan Savage - Radiation Oncologist, St. Peter’s Cancer Care Center

Bill Sherman - Vice President Government Relations, American Cancer Society.

According to the American Cancer Society “Cancer Facts & Figures 2016,” an estimated 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 40,450 will die from the disease this year. In New York, over 16,000 women will be diagnosed this year and 2,410 will die from the disease. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, and it is the most common cancer diagnosed in women other than skin cancer.

“I’m not sure there’s anyone around these days whose lives haven’t been touched by breast cancer,” said DeMarco, “My wife’s grandmother died from it, and we have a couple extremely close friends, one who is a 13-year survivor and one just diagnosed recently. We aren’t asking for large contributions – just whatever you can give. I’m the only Real Man Wearing Pink from Saratoga County. I’m hopeful people here will support me, that we’ll have a good showing that Saratoga cares about supporting breast cancer research, that people who don’t even know me but care about this will support me.”

For more information about breast cancer or the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/Albany or call 800-227-2345. To support the Real Men and read their stories, visit MakingStridesWalk.org/RealMenAlbanyNY. To support David DeMarco’s Real Men Wear Pink Campaign, click here.

Published in News

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Home Made Theater (HMT) has been awarded the title of “Best Community Theatre” by NY Theatre Guide, as part of their 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Voting was held online, with thousands of ballots cast from across New York State.

“There are so many theater companies that are worthy, so we are certainly very honored,” said Stacie Mayette Barnes, Producing Manager at HMT. “It’s recognition of all the hard work we put in. The work of our 180 volunteers each year, the work of directors and designers – everyone involved put together a product we’re very proud of.”

According to NY Theatre Guide, the awards are designed to honor local performing arts, entertainment and education organizations for their creativity, talents, and contributions across New York. Home Made Theater was one of five theaters nominated for the award. Other nominees included Central New York Playhouse in Syracuse, Clocktower Players in Irvington, Olean Community Theatre, and Ghent Playhouse.

Now in its 31st season, HMT got the news about the award during the opening week of their production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Barnes noted how HMT will be using their status as “Best Community Theatre” to raise awareness for HMT’s shows and draw to attention to what the company is all about.

“We’re very excited about this award. There must be people out there who believe in us and took the time to vote,” continued Barnes. “HMT is a unique blend of professionals and those working in theater for the first time. We try to give everyone involved a great experience. We’re proud of the quality of the work we do and proud to give our audiences some terrific entertainment. I want to thank everyone for voting for us, and invite everyone to come check us out in the state park – you won’t be sorry!”

Going on right now at HMT is their production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by Tennessee Williams. Show times are February 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. and February 21 and 28 at 2 p.m.

 

For more information about Home Made Theater, visit homemadetheater.org

Published in News

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