Noble Hospital announces Oct. community events

Date: 9/27/2010

WESTFIELD -- Noble Hospital is recognizing National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) with several events scheduled in the community and at the hospital throughout the month of October.

• Oct. 1: Kicking off NBCAM, Mayor Daniel Knapik will make a proclamation from the Executive Conference Room (Conference Room B) on Oct. 1 at 10 a.m.
  
  Following the proclamation, the mayor will tour the Burk Women's Imaging Center. This state-of-the-art facility, located on the first floor of the hospital, features cutting-edge technology, and provides services that include: digital mammography, ICAD, needle localizations, stereotactic biopsies, bone densitometry, ultrasound, and, ultrasound-guided biopsies.
  
  Limited room is available. If you would like to attend the proclamation ceremony, contact the Community Development Office at 568-2811, ext. 5980 or e-mail community@noblehealth.org.
  
  
• Oct. 15: For National Mammography Day, employees of area companies, businesses, and organizations are invited to join hospital employees and "wear pink to work."
  
  Those wearing pink are asked to make a contribution of $5 (or more) to support the fight against breast cancer and to help spread the word that, "early detection can save your life." Proceeds will benefit the Burk Women's Imaging Center.
  
  Organizations wishing to participate are asked to contact the Community Development Office.
  
  Also on Oct. 15, National Mammography Day, the hospital will feature an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  
  In addition to tours of the Burk Women's Imaging Center, the day will include live entertainment and refreshments in the hospital's main lobby at 115 West Silver St. Attendees will be able to purchase pink roses donated by Flowers by Webster, and will be eligible for several raffle drawings, including gift bags donated by Gary E. Russolillo, MD, PC, cosmetic plastic surgeon; Starbucks; Puffers; and, Westwood Restaurant and Pub.
  
  
• Throughout October: Noble Hospital has partnered with Westfield Public Schools to offer women's health fairs aimed at increasing awareness of women's health issues, and the importance of early detection, which saves lives.
  
  Fairs have been scheduled at the schools throughout the months of September and October. Staff at each school may contact their principal or the Noble Hospital Community Development Office for more information.
  
  Students of St. Mary's Religious Education classes have partnered with Noble Hospital to once again paint the town pink. The "Flamingo Raid" campaign returns with the opportunity to "flamingo" someone's lawn for $20 in support of breast cancer awareness.
  
  Residents who wish to purchase "flamingo insurance" may do so for $40, with proceeds benefiting the Noble Hospital Burk Women's Imaging Center and the St. Mary's World Youth Day project.
  
  To "flamingo a friend" or to purchase "flamingo insurance," contact the St. Mary's Religious Education Office at 562-5484, ext. 42. Requests are met on a first-come, first-served basis; insurance policies may be superseded by lawn requests based on date and time of request.
  
  
• Oct. 27: The hospital will host area physicians' offices' assistants at a luncheon aimed at increasing awareness of hospital programs and services for referring physicians. This event is by invitation only. For more information, contact the Community Development Office.
  
  For a listing of events scheduled throughout the month of October, visit the Hospital's Web site at www.NobleHospital.org, or contact the Community Development Office.
  
  According to the American Cancer Society, since NBCAM was established in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined.
  
  This is exciting progress, but there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection at all and others who do not get screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at regular intervals.
  
  
• Women age 65 and older are less likely to get mammograms than younger women, even though breast cancer risk increases with age
  
  
• Hispanic women have fewer mammograms than Caucasian women and African American women
  
  
• Women below poverty level are less likely than women at higher incomes to have had a mammogram within the past two years.
  
  "If all women age 40 and older took advantage of early detection methods mammography plus clinical breast exams breast cancer death rates would drop much further, up to 30 percent," Diane Brunelle RN, the hospital's vice president of Patient Care Services and chief nursing executive at the Burk Women's Imaging Center, said.
  
  Donna Hemphill RTRM, lead mammographer at the Burk Women's Imaging Center agreed. "The key to mammography screening is that it be done routinely once is not enough."
  
  "Early detection can save your life," Brunelle said.