Wilmot Cancer Center Experts Host Breast Health Day Oct. 3

Helping a loved one who has breast cancer can be challenging, but it’s a critical time for you to offer support. Doctors at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center’s Comprehensive Breast Care Center will help ease the process during the third annual Breast Health Day. The free event will be held 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Wilmot Cancer Center. 

Participants will get tips on how to maintain and strengthen their relationships with someone who has breast cancer and how to be proactive in helping their loved one.

“Many times people don’t know what to say when someone has breast cancer, so they don’t say anything at all,” said Sandra Sabatka, L.M.S.W., oncology social worker at the Wilmot Cancer Center. “It’s important to capitalize on your unique relationship and keep it as normal as possible. It’s OK not to know the right thing to say, but don’t let it to keep you away from your friend when they need you.”

Also, Kristin Skinner, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Breast Care Center, will outline steps to help you evaluate the quality of the breast care being received. She will review nationally accepted measures of quality breast care and the results of research evaluating the impact of care processes on the success of breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

The Comprehensive Breast Care Center is dedicated to diagnosing and treating breast problems. This model, unique in upstate New York, allows someone who has a breast concern to receive a mammogram read by a breast imaging expert, and then, if needed, get more specialized imaging and a biopsy to make an accurate diagnosis.  

All members of the breast care team — physicians specializing in breast imaging, breast pathology, breast surgery and reconstruction, medical and radiation therapy, and cancer genetics, as well as nurses, social workers, physical and occupational therapists and  clinical trials specialists — are on site and available to work with patients to develop an individualized care plan if cancer is found.

Registration is required, call (585) 275-BRST (275-2778.) Parking is available in the ramp garage.

The Wilmot Cancer Center is the region’s leader in cancer care and research. With a team of more than 400 doctors, nurses, scientists and support staff, the center is dedicated to finding cures.