Breast Cancer Services for Underserved Women Receives $35K Donation

Oct. 1, 2012 - PRLog -- The Long Island 2 Day Breast Cancer Walk (LI2DAY) has awarded South Nassau Communities Hospital’s Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center with a $35,000 gift in support of its screening, early detection and diagnosis services for medically underserved and low income patients with suspected or confirmed breast cancer.  This is the fifth consecutive year that LI2DAY has supported the program for a combined total of $150,500.

“LI2Day has been a loyal and vital partner in the growth and success of our program,” said Christine Hodyl, DO, Director of Breast Health Services.  “Its generosity empowers South Nassau to fulfill its mission to provide top-notch, compassionate, quality care for the patients and communities it serves.”

According to the American Cancer Society there are about 2.9 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, including women who are still being treated.  Underserved and minority women have the highest mortality, lowest survival, and fastest-rising incidence rates for breast cancer in the U.S.

More than 400 walkers participated in the 2012 LI2DAY walk held June 9-10, raising nearly $600,000 that is donated directly back to selected Long Island hospitals and community-based grassroots organizations.  The two-day, 35-mile walk began Saturday morning at Smith Point County Park at the Fire Island barrier beach in Shirley and continued along safe and scenic Suffolk County roads with continuous support from the Suffolk County Police Department, a qualified medical team, and local ambulance personnel.  After completing a 20-mile walk on Day 1, participants camped overnight at Cathedral Pines County Park in Middle Island.  Walkers complete a 15-mile route back to Smith Point County Park on Sunday.

The Center for Breast Health at the Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary breast care program, with a full spectrum of clinical and support services, from screening and diagnosis to treatment and counseling.  The center is recognized for its advanced treatment of both cancerous and benign breast problems.  Early detection is the focus of South Nassau’s Complete Women’s Imaging, PC, which uses an array of state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, including digital mammography, high resolution ultrasound and MRI of the breast.  Minimally invasive procedures can detect breast cancer long before it becomes a serious threat to your health and wellness.

If a tumor or abnormality is detected, the center offers the most advanced treatments for breast cancer and breast health complications and uses targeted surgical techniques that aim to preserve as much of the healthy breast and surrounding areas as possible.

This includes Contura™ multi-channel and Mammosite® single channel balloon brachytherapy techniques, which utilize a balloon catheter to deliver highly localized radiation to the lumpectomy bed; breast-conserving surgery (commonly known as lumpectomy), in which only the tumor or abnormality is removed from the breast; or mastectomy, an operation in which the whole breast is removed.  For invasive breast cancer, these procedures may be accompanied by a sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection if needed.

Oncoplastic surgical techniques are also offered.  Oncoplasty combines surgical cancer removal with plastic surgery techniques to produce a superior cosmetic end result.  Recommendations for whole-body or "systemic" treatments, such as hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of two of the three therapies, may follow either surgical approach.  If early-stage breast cancer is present, sentinel lymph node biopsy is used as an alternative to traditional lymph node dissection.

For more information about Gertrude & Louis Feil Cancer Center or to schedule an appointment, please call 1-877-SOUTH-NASSAU.

South Nassau Communities Hospital is one of the region’s largest hospitals, with 435 beds, more than 900 physicians and 3,000 employees.  Located in Oceanside, NY, the hospital is an acute-care, not-for-profit teaching hospital that provides state-of-the-art care in cardiac, oncologic, orthopedic, bariatric, pain management, mental health and emergency services.  In addition to its extensive outpatient specialty centers, South Nassau provides emergency and elective angioplasty and is the only hospital on Long Island with the Novalis Tx™ and Gamma Knife® Perfexion radiosurgery technologies.  South Nassau is a designated Stroke Center by the New York State Department of Health and Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons and is recognized as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.  For more information, visit www.southnassau.org.

Long Island 2 Day Breast Cancer Walk
Since its inception the LI2DAY has raised more than $4 million from the annual 35-mile, two-day walk. LI2DAY helps fund programs that assist with medical expenses, transportation, prosthetics and wigs, physical therapy, child care and more.  While researchers forge ahead to determine why breast cancer rates are so high on Long Island and to find a cure, LI2DAY will continue to raise awareness and much needed funds for the women and men in our community who are fighting breast cancer right now - emotionally, physically and financially.  For more information, visit www.li2daywalk.org or call 631- 863- 2DAY (2329).