A Dedication and a Promise to Stay Healthy

Rita Despiau, an employee at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, is dedicating her mammogram to her grandson, Lucas, because she wants to see him play professional football someday.

Rocio Ramirez, an HHC patient, is dedicating her mammogram to her mother. She says, “My mom took such great care of me and now it’s my turn to take care of her.”

And, Jennifer Stewart, another HHC patient, is dedicating her mammogram to her husband of 21 years because she says, “we plan to grow old together.”

These are the employees and patients who are featured in HHC’s May Mammogram awareness campaign to stress the importance of annual mammograms and preventative screenings. The “I Dedicate” campaign encourages women to visit HHC’s social media pages on Facebook and Twitter and dedicate their mammograms to a family member or loved one in their lives and note the special events they want to live long enough to see.

Throughout the month, HHC patients and staff will be invited to “Like” and “Follow” HHC on Facebook and Twitter and upload photos of themselves and the person they are dedicating their mammogram to. HHC hospitals and community health centers will also host a series of education and screening events that will feature an “I Dedicate” recognition wall for staff and patients to post pink ribbons with their dedication and help encourage others to schedule their mammogram.

HHC doctors performed more than 100,000 mammograms last year and actively encourage women over 40 to get regular screening mammograms regardless of their ability to pay or lack of health insurance. The public hospitals corporation has traditionally targeted May and Mother’s Day to conduct its annual breast cancer awareness effort.

“Mammograms are the most important tool for early detection of breast cancer, and HHC hospitals and health centers are committed to promoting and providing this life-saving screening at little or no cost.” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles.

“More mammograms means more cancers have been diagnosed at an earlier stage when treatment is more effective and prognosis much more hopeful,” said Dr. Maria Castaldi, Director of Breast Health Services at Jacobi Medical Center. “A woman can have breast cancer even if she has no symptoms, and since mammograms are among the best early detection methods, it is recommended that women over 40 get a mammogram and a breast examination by a doctor every year. If breast cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate exceeds 96%.”

HHC hospitals and health centers will host the following breast cancer screening and informational events throughout the month of May:

May 2012