Pair of Keynote Speakers to Share Stories of Hope, Perseverance and Survival
Carthage Area Hospital invites the public to its annual Think Pink Luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 10, to recognize those who are fighting breast cancer, honor survivors, and remember all who the community has lost to the disease.
The free luncheon is set for 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St. Complimentary food and beverages will be served. Email Emmy Royer, Carthage Area Hospital population health coordinator, eroyer@cahny.org or call 315-519-5907, to reserve a seat today or register online at carthagehospital.com/thinkpink.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, which also estimates that more than 252,710 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year alone. More than 3.3 million survivors are alive in the United States today.
“Early detection and treatment unequivocally saves lives,” Royer said. “Resources exist in our communities to help all women in this fight.”
Two-time breast cancer survivor Tammy Blevins of Gouverneur and the Gouverneur Breast Cancer Fund, will share her story of how she remains happy and positive after two battles with breast cancer and a single mastectomy. Carthage resident Paul Clarke, a retired U.S. Army helicopter pilot, will share his less common experience as a male breast cancer patient and the treatment he continues today. In 2017, Clarke was diagnosed with a form of breast cancer most commonly found in women and underwent surgery to remove most of his left breast.
Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,470 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 460 will die each year.
“As Paul will remind us, men are not immune from the disease,” Royer said. “What’s more, when women we love face breast cancer, the men around them play an important support role.”
In addition, Renee Morgan, a Patient Advocate and Mammography Technologist at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care a will provide attendees with valuable information on early detection and the importance of annual breast screenings.
Morgan has dedicated more than 30 years of her life to working with breast cancer patients and advocating for early screening and detection. She is passionate about educating colleagues and community members on the advancements of breast imaging and breast cancer detection.
Carthage Area Hospital’s Community Engagement Series is presented as a public service to encourage residents to take an active role in their health. WWNY TV 7 and WNYF Fox 28 is a proud media sponsor of this year’s series.
About the Community Engagement Series
Carthage Area Hospital’s 2018 Community Engagement Series is a population health initiative aimed at educating residents in the hospital’s 83,000-person service area of Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties. For nine months, from February through December, the hospital features a different health topic to empower residents to make more informed decisions about their health and wellness and care.
Dates, topics for remaining events are: Wednesday, Nov. 14, “Diabetes Prevention & Awareness Luncheon,” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.; Wednesday, Dec. 5, “Handling Holiday Stress,” Carthage Elks Lodge, 511 Fulton St.
All Community Engagement Series events are free and open to the public and include light lunch or refreshments and beverages. Advance registration is preferred and opens on the hospital’s website, carthagehospital.com, at least three weeks prior to each event. Contact Emmy Royer, eroyer@cahny.org or 315-519-5907, to learn more.
About Carthage Area Hospital
Carthage Area Hospital was established as a not-for-profit rural community hospital in 1965. It operates today as a fully accredited 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, serving approximately 83,000 residents in Jefferson, northern Lewis and southern St. Lawrence counties. The hospital formed a clinical affiliation with Crouse Health, Syracuse, in 2017.
The hospital also operates a network of community-based clinics, including its Philadelphia Medical Center, Family Health Center, Pediatric Clinic and Women’s Way to Wellness and provides a range of specialty care, including general surgery, orthopedics, podiatry, urology, neurosurgical care, physical and occupational therapy and behavioral health.