Being stronger than Cancer is the inspiring message of World Cancer Day celebrated every year in early February. Memorial Cancer Institute (MCI) and Beth Torah, Benny Rok Campus have come together to mark this event, joining gatherings, organizations, and cancer centers all over the world with one goal in mind, to save millions of preventable deaths by raising cancer awareness. World Cancer Day was initiated by the Union for International Cancer Control in 2005 with over 800 member organizations across 155 countries. It is exciting to align the mission of the Memorial Healthcare System to heal the body, mind, and spirit of those we touch and the Talmudic adage of “Whoever saves a life, is considered to have saved an entire world”.
World Cancer Day 2016 theme is “We Can. I Can”. It is a strong mandate to explore ways in which individuals, families, and communities can prevent cancer, challenge perceptions, improve survival rates, and relieve the burden of cancer through prevention, improving quality of life, and increase survivorship.
Brian Hunis, MD Medical Director, Head and Neck Cancer Program, and Quality Initiatives at Memorial Cancer Institute will discuss cancer prevention strategies to include Jewish Genetics, the latest diagnostic and treatment breakthroughs in lung and breast cancer. Dr. Hunis is quick to point “that in the last 10 years, the treatment of cancer has evolved dramatically. We have moved out from a “one size fits all” approach to a more personalized, comprehensive way of treating cancer. Oncologists are now using genetics in the day-to-day decision making and planning of oncology therapy for the most advanced and often less toxic approach to cancer therapy.” With its focus on research, Memorial Cancer Institute offers its patients the latest in clinical trials.
Memorial Cancer Institute has a multi-disciplinary team behind each patient to support them and their families from diagnosis, treatment, through survivorship. Teddy Speropoulos, Director Oncology Supportive Care Services and Integrative Medicine outlines the services available to each patient, “patient navigation, nutritional counseling, psycho-social support, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, mindfulness, aromatherapy all these modalities assist the patient with the symptoms of treatment and the anxiety. We are there for the patient at every stage of their journey providing the support they need, physically and emotionally, to include facing life as a survivor”. Teddy further points out that “with advanced treatment breakthroughs there are more cancer survivors than ever before. MCI is committed to preparing every patient for survivorship from the point of diagnosis through our innovative Survivorship Training and Rehabilitation Program (STAR), our Next Step Survivorship Clinic, ongoing education and events, and our various support groups”.
Join Beth Torah and Memorial Cancer Institute for Oneg Shabbat Services and a special buffet on Friday, February 12th at 7:00 p.m., 20350 NE 26th Avenue, North Miami Beach 33180 for an informative and elegant evening.
For more information or to RSVP to the event, call 954-265-3442 or email rolensky@mhs.net.
