PBMC Health Joins American Cancer Society and the Cancer Services Program of Suffolk County To Paint the Town Blue
(RIVERHEAD, NY) Colon cancer affects both men and women and is the second leading cause of cancer related death in the United States. The shocking reality is that colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable when caught early through screening.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. Together with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Cancer Services Program of Suffolk County (CSP), PBMC Health will be painting the town blue to raise awareness about the importance of colon cancer screening and early detection. Riverhead’s Main Street will be the first on Long Island to “Go Blue.”
Pictured from left to right are Councilman John Dunleavy, Maureen O’Connor (Director of Cancer Services at PBMC), Dr. Clare Bradley (Board Chair, American Cancer Society), Dr. Brett Ruffo, MD, FACS, FASCRS, Board Certified in Colon and Rectal Surgeon, Sherry Patteron (PBMC Board Chair), Joseph Abbate (Patient), Dennis McDermott (The Riverhead Project), Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupski, Janine Nebons (General Manager of Tanger), and Councilwoman Jodi Giglio
“Colon cancer is one of the only cancers that can be detected and prevented through screening before it even starts. With the support of local businesses, we can help spread this lifesaving message,” says Dr. Clare Bradley of the American Cancer Society. “We are also working together to provide resources and support for families, friends and loved ones dealing with a colon cancer diagnosis. We are not just providing information – we are providing help and hope.”
To introduce businesses to this life-saving campaign a “Main Streets Go Blue” Kick Off Breakfast was recently held to introduce the community to the program. From March 10-15, businesses will adopt a blue theme, decorating their street windows with blue colors and lighting the outside of their stores with blue lights. PBMC Health will be providing local businesses with posters, giveaways and educational materials to help inform the community of the importance of early detection through screening. Local businesses are creating unique ways to participate in this innovative program. For example, Tanger Outlets is encouraging stores to offer a special discount during the weeklong campaign; The Hyatt Place East End will change their outside lighting to blue, and The Riverhead Project will offer a special drink called “Bottoms Up.” In addition to saving lives and making the population aware of the importance of screening, businesses in the community benefit as well. Screening and early detection have proven effective in increased employee morale, reduction in workers’ compensation claims, reducing illness and absenteeism, and increased productivity.
Only about 50% of insured adults aged 50-75 are up-to-date with colon cancer screening and for those who are uninsured that number drops to 36%. “The risk of colon cancer increases with age, by encouraging everyone 50+ to get screened is a proactive step in the prevention of colon cancer,” said Andrew Mitchell, President & CEO of PBMC Health and Peconic Bay Medical Center. “Engaging businesses in championing preventive care is an essential collaboration towards decreasing late-stage diagnosis and increasing survivorship. PBMC Health will continue to position ourselves to be at the forefront for our community in fighting colon cancer through education, community awareness and access to expert physicians that deliver comprehensive treatment and care.”
Maureen O’Connor, Director of the Cancer Services Program of Suffolk County at Peconic Bay Medical Center, stated, “Working together with businesses provides the opportunity for the Cancer Services Program to assure that the uninsured population of the community is aware that if you can’t afford a test, there are resources available to help, and free colorectal cancer screening is available through the Cancer Services Program of Suffolk.”
25,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed annually with breast, cervical or colorectal cancer and approximately 6,000 men and women in NYS die each year from these cancers. Tanger Outlets has been a strong and essential advocate for Breast Cancer awareness and according to Janine Nebons, General Manager, Tanger Outlets, “Main Streets Go Blue affords Tanger Outlets the added opportunity to connect with other businesses in a collaborative goal of providing support and promoting public awareness about colon cancer with the end-result of empowering others with information that can save lives. Tanger Outlets is committed to championing the fight to increase cancer survivorship through events and campaigns that impact the community and bring about prevention awareness.”
Early detection of cancer improves treatment options, increases the chance for successful treatment and improves survival rates. Brett Ruffo, MD, FACS, FASCRS, Board Certified in Colon and Rectal Surgeon, having lost his father to colorectal cancer, has a passion for the fight against this disease. “The only known cure for colorectal cancer is early detection. Education is a team effort and has to go beyond just the physicians and clinical staff; it has to reach the community. With community outreach we increase awareness resulting in prompt diagnosis and more effective treatment. With appropriate screening and treatment, colon cancer is not only preventable in some cases, but is very treatable and often curable. The goal is early detection.
Businesses who are interested in participating with the program should contact Peconic Bay Medical Center at 631-548-6080 or download the form by going to www.pbmchealth.org or clicking here.
About PBMC Health
PBMC Health is a comprehensive continuum of care focused on serving the full range of health and wellness needs of the people of Suffolk County. The continuum includes Peconic Bay Medical Center, located in Riverhead; Peconic Bay Home Health Services, serving all of Suffolk County; Peconic Bay Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation, located in Riverhead; Peconic Bay Outpatient Physical Therapy, located in Riverhead; Peconic Bay Primary & Family Care Practices, with offices in Mattituck, Hampton Bays, Center Moriches, Riverhead and Westhampton Beach; and The Gertrude and Louis Feil Campus for Ambulatory Care in Manorville. For more information, visit PBMCHealth.org
About Peconic Bay Medical Center
Peconic Bay Medical Center is a non-profit medical facility committed to providing exceptional care and improving the health of the communities it serves. Peconic Bay Medical Center offers wide ranging, full-scope services and programs along with state-of-the-art technology. The award-winning Kanas Center for Advanced Surgery is home to the da Vinci Surgical Robotics Program. PBMC is a Bariatric Center of Excellence, a designated Stroke Center, and recipient of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®–Stroke Bronze Quality Achievement Award. In addition to being the recipient of the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval for Total Joint Replacement for Hip and Knee, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Plus Center for Hip and Knee Replacement, and the Aetna
Institute of Quality® for Total Joint Replacement, PBMC has also earned a 5-Star Rating from U.S. News & World Report for Skilled Nursing Facility, which was named one of the nation’s highest quality nursing homes. As a major clinical campus for the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, PBMC hosts graduate medical education programs in Family Medicine and Traditional Internship. Peconic Bay Medical Center is a member of the East End Health Alliance and affiliated with Stony Brook University Hospital. For more information, visit PBMCHealth.org
