In Good Health: CNY #298 - October 2024 by In Good Health: CNY's Healthcare Newspaper

Number of Americans With Type 2 Diabetes Jumped by 20% in a Decade

Type 2 diabetes increased by nearly 20% in the United States between 2012 and 2022, with age, race, income level, obesity and lack of exercise all playing a role in the metabolic disease’s spread, a new study reports.

“Diabetes is increasing day by day in the U.S., and it will increase even more in the coming years,” said lead researcher Sulakshan Neupane, a doctoral student with the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

billion, including medical costs and indirect costs like loss of productivity,” Neupane added in a university news release. “That’s a huge amount, and it’s only going to increase as more people are diagnosed.”

LUNG CANCER

Age is a major factor, with middle-aged people and seniors carrying a much higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, researchers found.

“Diabetes costs around $412

than five times as likely to get such a diagnosis.

Income and education also played a role. People with high incomes were 41% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, and the college-educated were 24% less likely.

SCREENING

Seniors aged 65 and older were more than 10 times as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as people aged 18 to 24, results show. Middle-aged folks 45 to 64 were more

the highest increases.

In all, 10 states experienced increases of 25% or more — Arkansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas, Alabama, Minnesota, Illinois, West Virginia, Delaware and Massachusetts.

“In these areas, people are at higher risk of developing diabetes, so policymakers and public health officials need to focus on these regions,” Neupane said.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from an ongoing national health survey of more than 400,000 people conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Unsurprisingly, overweight and obese people were found to be at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, the data show.

About 1 in 5 obese people and 1 in 10 overweight people had Type 2 diabetes in 2022, researchers found.

Physical activity seemed to provide effective protection against diabetes, results show. Just under 10% of physically active people reported having Type 2 diabetes, versus a rate closer to 19% among people who are inactive, the study found.

The new study was published recently in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

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Black people were the racial and ethnic group hardest hit by diabetes, with just under 16% diagnosed with the disease, researchers said.

The South and Midwest in particular experienced large jumps in Type 2 diabetes cases, with Arkansas, Kentucky and Nebraska reporting

“Identifying these risk factors and acting to mitigate them is key,” Neupane said. “Be more active. Pay more attention to your physical health. Some risk factors like age and race cannot be modified, but you can do something to lower risk of diabetes, like healthy eating, maintaining an active lifestyle and losing weight.”

Editor’s Note: Read the Savvy Senior column in this issue for more information on diabetes.

Breathe easier with a free lung cancer screening!

Saturday, November 2, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. HOA’s East Syracuse, Auburn and Camillus locations

Free screenings are available to individuals 50-80 who: - are heavy smokers (e.g. 1 pack a day for 20 years or 2 packs a day for 10 years) - OR are former heavy smokers who quit in the last 15 years - AND have not previously received a free lung cancer screening from us.

To make an appointment, call 315-472-7504, extension 1301.

As a service to our community, Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY and CRA Medical Imaging are offering a free lung cancer screening to qualified participants. This free screening event is co-sponsored by:

SAY HELLO TO HEALTHY

Medical | Dental

Mental Health | Substance Use Disorder

Say hello to a more convenient way to stay healthy in Oswego County. ConnnextCare offers a comprehensive set of services - family and internal medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, psychiatry, substance use disorder treatment and social work all under one medical group. Patients within our network can visit any of our seven locations at any time.

ConnextCare also offers medical, dental and mental health services at eight School Based Health Centers in five Oswego County school districts.

WALK-IN APPOINTMENTS NOW AVAILABLE IN THE PULASKI OFFICE

MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:00AM - 6:00PM

Central Square (315) 675-9200 Fulton (315) 598-4790 Oswego (315) 342-0880 Pulaski (315) 298-6564 Parish (315) 625-388 Phoenix (315) 695-4700 Mexico (315) 963-4133

Nonprofits Can Now Apply for Excellus BCBS Grants

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is accepting applications for its 2024 Health Equity Innovation Awards, which provide funding to community-based organizations to support health and wellness programs that address racial and ethnic health disparities in Upstate New York.

The online application portal will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4,

“The Health Equity Innovation Award funding is designed to support initiatives that confront the fundamental causes of health disparities, particularly those linked to structural racism. By providing funding for projects that tackle social, economic, and systemic issues, we aim to create a healthcare system that is fair and equitable for everyone,” said Simone E. Edwards, vice president of health equity and community investments at Excellus BCBS.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in the Excellus BCBS’ service area can apply for funding of up to $30,000.

Applications should propose innovative projects with measurable outcomes, expansion potential and clearly outlined goals to reduce health disparities and address social disadvantages. Funding is dependent upon a project’s ability to demonstrate tangible improvement in racial and ethnic health equity.

Priority categories for the Health Equity Innovation Awards include:

• Improved maternal health outcomes

• Behavioral health or mental health conditions

• Acute and chronic disease management

• Social determinants of health such as economic stability; education access, and quality; health care access and quality; neighborhood and built environment; and social and community context

For more information and to apply, go to www.excellusbcbs.com and type “community-investments-partnerships” in the search menu.

Meet Your Doctor

By Chris Motola

Wajeeh Sana, M.D.

An emergency medicine physician with Oswego Health since 2013 takes the helm as the hospital’s new chief medical officer. He talks about his plans, challenges and how he got the position

Q: How long have you been Oswego Health’s chief medical officer?

A: I started July 1.

Q: Previously you were president of the medical staff of Oswego Health. How do these two roles differ?

A: The president of the medical staff provides leadership and guidance to the medical staff and promotes communication between the medical staff and the administration and board of trustees. It also involves maintaining professionalism in the medical staff. It’s a two-year appointment. As far as the chief medical officer goes, that involves day-to-day operations of the medical staff, maintaining the quality of care that we provide and development of policies and procedures. Increasing service lines. Our medical staff is a separate entity from Oswego Health and can include both employed clinicians and community clinicians with medical privileges at Oswego Hospital. So I’m making sure the quality of care is consistent throughout all of our locations and overseeing the employed clinicians.

Q: Was working in administration a long-term goal?

A: You want to advance your career. I also have a strong affinity for the Oswego Health system. I’ve been here for 12 years. So it was both the next step in my career and an opportunity to improve care and the resources

available to the hospital. So it was a natural next step.

Q: Having been a part of the health system for so long, what are some of the challenges you’ve identified when it comes to delivering healthcare to Oswego County.

A: Availability of primary care is a big issue in our community and we’ve worked very hard to increase access. We’ve employed new physicians. We have six sites now offering primary care and are working on increasing specialty care, more surgeons, more orthopedics and also pediatrics. We’ve recently increased the capacity of our urology practice. So many things the patient would have to go out of county to receive we can now offer within the county. We’re constantly recruiting people and increasing our capacity. The goal is to make sure we provide quality care at home and serve our community the best that we can.

Q: Strategically, what would you like to improve about the Oswego Health system over the course of your tenure as CMO?

oration is important and necessary. We’re a community-based hospital; we don’t have all the resources and subspecialties we’d need to take care of every patient. That’s where those big hospitals come into play. We collaborate with Upstate [University Hospital]. We have collaborations for urology, neurology with Upstate. We also collaborate with Crouse for radiology. We’re always collaborating with tertiary care centers and hospitals, figuring out what we can offer them and what they can offer us.

Q: How is the hospital preparing for the aging of the community?

A: We do have a large geriatric population. People are living longer, which comes with its own set of issues. Our most recent initiative on that is fall prevention. Falls are a pretty significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the geriatric population. So we’ve decided to run this program system-wide. We just opened a center for rehabilitation and mobility to help individuals who need short-term rehab back home as fast as possible. So if they had a stroke or a car accident or they fell, our therapists work with them to help stabilize so they can be returned back to their home setting.

Q: With regard to physician recruitment, what are the challenges and advantages Oswego Health has? What are the selling points?

A: Medicine is always evolving. Every day there’s something new. My biggest focus is quality of care.

improve, guidelines change. The goal is to reduce the number of unforeseen medical errors. We also recently started a fall prevention program, which we think is very important to

Q: How do you collaborate with the larger university hospi-

A: We are an healthcare system and that’s what we’ll always aspire to be, but collab-

A: The difficulties are that there’s a physician shortage, a provider shortage. It’s not easy to find physicians and bring them to areas remote from the bigger metropolitan areas. Advantages? We’re not actually that far from Syracuse; about 40 minutes. Some physicians prefer community hospital settings, which we offer. We can offer H1-B visas if physicians need those, so that’s a big advantage. There are a lot of outdoor activities available for physicians and their families. I think we’re a very attractive location in a lot of ways. The challenges are universal. There aren’t enough physicians and providers out there.

Lifelines

Name: Wajeeh Sana, M.D.

Position: Chief medical officer at Oswego Health

Career: Held various leadership positions throughout his career in CNY including service medical director for McFee Ambulance; clinical assistant professor at SUNY Upstate Medical Center; medical director and chairman of the Oswego Hospital emergency department and the Fulton and Central Square urgent care centers. In 2023 was appointed president of Oswego Health’s medical staff.

Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan

Education: Medical school at Allama Iqbal Medical College, a public medical college in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan; residency at St. Vincent’s Mercy Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio. Specializes in emergency medicine

Affiliations: Oswego Health

Organizations: American Medical Association; American Academy of Family Physicians

Family: Wife, 13-year-old son, dog

Hobbies: Scuba diving, hiking, racing cars and motorcycles

Study: A Few Cups of Coffee Per Day Might Help Your Heart

Afew cups of coffee each morning can help protect a person against heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, a new study says.

Drinking three cups of coffee a day — or about 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine — lowered the risk of health problems linked to the heart or metabolism, researchers found.

“The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits,” said lead researcher physician Chaofu Ke, a medical statistician with Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University in China.

For the study, researchers analyzed data on more than 500,000 people aged 37 to 73 participating in the long-term U.K. Biobank research project.

Out of that group, they identified more than 172,000 people who’d reported their caffeine intake, and another 188,000 who’d reported their coffee or tea consumption.

The researchers compared people’s caffeine intake to whether they had developed two or more signs of cardiometabolic disease. That term

relates to risk factors that can harm heart health, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and excess body weight.

Results showed that any level of coffee or caffeine intake lowered a person’s risk of suffering multiple health problems related to heart or metabolism.

But the best results came with moderate intake of coffee or caffeine, they found.

People who drank three cups of coffee a day had a 48% lower risk of heart or metabolic disease, compared to those who drank no coffee.

And those who got 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine daily had a 41% reduced risk compared to those who consumed none or less than 100 milligrams, researchers found.

The new study was published Sept. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Any lower risk would help protect a person’s health, as people with heart or metabolic diseases are four to seven times more likely to die from any cause, researchers said in a journal news release. They also have higher risk of disability and mental stress.

ONONDAGA, OSWEGO, CAYUGA & MADISON COUNTIES

Editor & Publisher: Wagner Dotto • Associate Editor: Stefan Yablonski

Deborah J.

Jim

Campos-Toro

Healthcare in a Minute

By George W. Chapman

New COVID Vaccine Is Ready but CDC Says You May Want to Wait

The CDC still recommends we get the updated vaccine, but advises us to not jump the gun and wait until later fall.

The protection afforded by the vaccine wanes after a few months so you don’t want this to hap-

Drug Prices and Politics

The vote in the Senate to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which authorized Medicare to finally negotiate drug prices on behalf of its 40 million members, passed by just one vote. Not one Republican voted to pass the IRA. Not one. Vice president Harris had to cast the deciding vote. However, the “good” news is that both presidential candidates are in favor of controlling drug prices. Consequently, drug manufacturers have hedged their bets. Historically, prior to the IRA, the drug lobby has fended off all attempts by Medicare to negotiate prices. While most of our elected representatives on both sides of the aisle accepted money from drug lobbyists, three to four times more money went to Republican reps than Democratic reps. This year, however, total contributions to members of the two parties are just about even.

Impact of Drugs on Premiums

Over the past several decades, drug costs have increased from 3% of the total cost of care to almost 10% of the total cost of care. The trend can be attributed to our increasing dependence on drugs (most per capita in the world) and to unregulated

pen during winter months when COVID-19 tends to peak. Thankfully, as more of us are immunized, deaths and hospitalizations are rarer. There were about 2,000 COVID-related deaths this past July compared to 26,000 deaths in July 2020. Virol-

costs versus physician and hospital costs which are set. GLP-1 drugs used to treat diabetes and weight like Ozempic, Jardiance and Wegovy are having a significant impact on our premiums and copays be they Medicare, commercial or private or on the government exchange. Any of these drugs could be on Medicare’s “hit list” for 2026 but will remain uncontrolled for private insurers. 57 million people or 40% of those covered by their employer could potentially be eligible for GLP-1 drugs. The eventual economic impact on premiums and copays for employees will ultimately be determined by the plan your employer selects and by arbitrary coverage limitations. Initially developed to treat diabetes, only 5% of GLP-1 drugs are prescribed to treat just diabetes. Forty-two percent of these drugs are prescribed to treat obesity. The balance of prescriptions are for other conditions. Medicare spent $57 million on GLP-1 drugs in 2018. Spending jumped to a staggering $5.7 BILLION in 2022, due to a combination of price gouging and treatment of obesity. Employees, unfortunately, are virtually locked into the plan their employer selects and are subject to whatever drug coverage attached to that plan. On the other hand, Medicare beneficiaries and those on the government exchange can use navigators to help them find a plan with the best

ahead of the game but lifted a ban in 2015. As with regulating drug costs, fortunately, both political parties are in sync when it comes to the negative impact of smartphones on student mental health and that something has to be done. Overlooked if not lost in the discussion surrounding the impact of smartphones on students is the impact on teacher morale and retention especially in districts serving predominantly underprivileged students.

Continuing Nursing Shortage

ogists suggest the current variant may be less virulent this year, but still recommend getting vaccinated. Waste water analysis shows that, currently, COVID is worse in western and southern states. The CDC recommends annual updated shots because of the ever-evolving variants.

coverage of a particular drug they are on. CMS has granted $100 million to navigators who can assist seniors select an advantage plan or individuals not covered at work select a plan on the exchange.

Cell Phones in School

There is little disagreement among parents, teachers and legislators that smartphones have negatively impacted student learning, student mental health and even teacher retention. Student cyber bullying, loneliness, anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction, eating disorders have approached epidemic proportions. Numerous studies found 50% of all students spend more than four hours a day on their phone. It’s basically an addiction and rehab will not be easy. 90% of schools report cyberbullying and 40% report the negative impact on learning when smartphones are unchecked. Seven states have banned smartphone use in schools with some exceptions for emergencies. They are Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. It is too soon to draw conclusions, but it is still worth gathering evidence. Once results are in, implementing any kind of restriction or total ban will be difficult. Teachers now have to worry about guns and cell phones. New York state was way

By 2030, just six years from now, 42 of our 50 states will face a severe nursing shortage. Interestingly, of the eight states that expect to be alright, six are in the northeast: Vermont, Rhode Island, Maine, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and New Hampshire. Rural hospitals are most vulnerable to a shortage of nurses which can be a major factor leading to an outright closure. About 300 rural hospitals are on the brink. 10% are in Texas and Kansas, both states with large rural populations. The closure of a rural hospital, many hundreds from the nearest hospital, impacts far more than access to acute care. More than likely, unless affiliated with or supported by another healthcare system, physicians, pharmacists and other health professionals may abandon the community as well. The lack of a local hospital will also impact schools and local businesses. The local chamber of commerce will have a difficult time attracting new businesses. Half of nurses leave their job within two years as compared to four years for all industries. A study of 50,000 nurses found that on any given day, more than half of all nurses feel a sense of depletion, emotional exhaustion or fatigue. The double whammy of the pandemic and our aging population has exacerbated the shortage. Thousands of applicants to nursing schools have to be rejected every year because there are not enough professors in the schools to teach. Since the pandemic, most health care providers (well, the smart ones anyway) are much more attuned to their cultures, working environment and stresses facing their staff. Hopefully resulting in far less turnover and dissatisfaction. Nurse salaries have increased considerably since the pandemic. Nursing schools are receiving subsidies helping them attract and retain professors. Finally, 18% of healthcare workers are immigrants. Legal immigrants. That’s almost one in five employees. So, as in many other industries, staff shortages would be FAR worse without the steady flow of immigrants.

George W. Chapman is a healthcare business consultant who works exclusively with physicians, hospitals and healthcare organizations. He operates GW Chapman Consulting based in Syracuse. Email him at gwc@gwchapmanconsulting.com.

Cat Cafes and Lounges: The Purrfect Place for People and Felines

Syracuse and Rochester feature several cat cafes, with plenty of the amenities

By Joe Sarnicola

Interacting with animals can “decrease stress, improve heart health and even help children with their emotional and social skills,” according to the National Institutes of Health.

This would include owning a pet (if anyone ever really owns a pet) or seeing them on a farm or in another friendly setting. And one of those other friendly settings would have to be cat cafes.

A what?

The Cat Flower Garden, the world’s first cat café, opened in Taiwan in 1998. The café offered baked goods and a selection of tea and coffee in addition to allowing time to spend with the cats. The concept quickly spread to Japan and there are now cat cafes in many other countries around the world; including the United States and specifically the Central New York and Finger Lakes regions.

In the United States, the food serving area must be separated from the cat area and the businesses must conform to all applicable restaurant

health and safety regulations.

To spend time with the cats, customers have to book a session ahead of time, usually for a small fee. The cats live in a safe and comfortable environment, like a home living room. Visitors can sit with the cats, pet them, play with them or just relax watching cats do what cats do.

Each café has its own rules in place for the safety of the cats. They usually include: no loud noises, running or chasing the cats; do not disturb them if they are eating or sleeping; visitors must wear socks; and a limit on the number of people in the cat space at any one time.

Cat cafes are not shelters, so they do not rescue or accept stray animals. Most of them partner with shelters and other animal organizations. The cats are available for adoption and visiting a café is a good way to see if a specific cat is a good fit for people looking to adopt.

In the Eastview Mall, in Victor, is the Lazy Cat Lounge and Café, operated by Sarah Thorne.

Previously owned by Lisa and

Todd Cragle as Purrs and Paws, this café has found home for more than 600 cats since opening in 2020. According to the company website, the café has served to help some of the more timid animals or animals from difficult backgrounds to learn to socialize and to trust people again.

Owner Alisha Reynolds opened Pawsitivitea in the Regional Market in Syracuse after visiting the Catnip Café in Norfolk, Virginia. She was impressed by the experience and she wanted to open something similar here by combining her strong sense of compassion, her culinary training and her experience in retail.

“Opening a cat café seemed like a better option than working three jobs,” she said.

Reynolds likes to add fun themes to her business, such as a pretend Halloween party in July, with some of the cats wearing fun, but safe decorated vests or cat and goat yoga, where small goats actually visit the cat area. Visitors to Pawsitivitea’s cat lounge must enter a small room and close the door behind themselves before entering the cat area. This ensures none of the cats can get out of their safe lounge space.

“People love the concept of a cat café,” she said. “Plus we have adopted out more than 350 cats since we opened three years ago. We have some awesome adoption partners and our cats go through a quarantine process before coming to us.”

The Wired Whisker, a cat café in Duluth, Minnesota, has a blog on its website devoted to the benefits of interacting with cats in a café setting, what the owner, Misha, calls “cat therapy.” Some of the benefits she

lists are the calming effect of a cat’s purr and sitting with a cat in a peaceful environment can reduce stress and even improve mental clarity.

The cats benefit as well. Whatever their backgrounds have been they now live in a safe, loving space and they are able to spend time with people who show them love. And of course, many of the café visitors adopt the cats after meeting them in person, which leads to a life-long bond with the cats.

More information about the cafes, their cats, their adoption processes and their café menus can be found by visiting their websites.

Cat Cafés

• Pawsitivitea Café 2100 Park St. (CNY Regional Market) Syracuse 315-807-8936; pawsitiviteacny.com

• Luna Cat Café 1001 E. Fayette St. Syracuse 315-962-9298; luncatcafe.com

• Lazy Cat Lounge and Café 523 Eastview Mall, Victor 585-425-4202; lazycatloungeandcafe.com

• Pawsitive Café 120 E. Ave., suite 100 Rochester 585-434-4104; pawsitivecatcafe.com

Jane and Olivia and their cats at Pawsitivitea Café in the CNY Regional Market in Syracuse.

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OMEN'S HEALTH

Avoiding Frailty

How to avoid the ‘little old lady’ syndrome

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Beyond the idea of skewing the stereotype, not becoming a “little old lady” is important for aging well.

Losing muscle and bone in older age and becoming frail can raise risk for earlier death. Frailty isn’t just “getting older.”

Carol Sames, Ph.D., associate professor of physical therapy education at Upstate Medical University, said that frailty can be viewed as a syndrome with a distinct presentation and also as a state of vulnerability.

As a syndrome, frailty can be tested.

“You can see if they’re frail if they have three of the following: unintentional weight loss of more than 5% of bodyweight in the last year; muscle loss; exhaustion that’s self-reported; decreased grip strength; slow walking speed and low physical activity,” Sames said. “Then you start to get into why this is happening.”

That ties more into the state of vulnerability. It’s a mindset that looks at aging as a slippery slope

where aging people lose their ability to perform high-energy fun activities like skiing. Then they can no longer do arduous tasks like lawn work. Towards the end, they cannot do the most basic, low-energy activities of daily living like getting dressed, walking at a comfortable pace or performing housework.

“Instead of looking at getting older as a straight downward slope, people who are active change the slope of that line and in fact continue to do activities that are fun and functional into their 80s and 90s,” Sames said.

Why some lose their ability to function has to do with a loss of reserves. Younger people have more reserves to help protect against stressors to their bodily systems. In part, aging whittles away reserves. The onset of frailty includes chronic health conditions, hormonal changes, isolation and little social support. Letting chronic disease go unmanaged can increase risk of frailty.

“Diabetes, hypertension chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,

coronary artery disease, arthritis: all decrease physical and functional abilities which can lead to frailty,” said Maria Enecilla, a geriatrician at Rochester Regional Health. “Osteoporosis increases risk of fracture which leads to physical decline.”

Taking unnecessary prescriptions also makes a difference in falling.

“A lot of people have a long list of medications that can interact with each other and the body and lead to side effects that lead to frailty, like fatigue, dizziness and confusion,” Enecilla said.

Oftentimes, falls begin a downward spiral in health if the woman breaks a hip and becomes further deconditioned. Thirty percent of adults experiencing a hip fracture die within a year, according to the American Family Physician Journal.

To fight the risk factors associated with frailty, Enecilla encourages women to stay physically active. One means is through strength training. This can include bodyweight exercise, lifting free weights, using a weight machine or stretching exercise

bands. All of these can help address age-related muscle and bone loss.

“The lack of estrogen in menopause affects our bones and our muscle mass,” said Maureen Slattery, OBGYN and certified menopause practitioner with Rochester Regional Health. She encourages women to improve their resistance training, including core strength and balance.

Incorporate activity that improves balance such as tai chi, yoga or dance to reduce the risk of falls.

Try aerobic exercise like brisk walking, cycling and swimming, which have a low risk of injury yet provide a means to keep the heart healthy and build muscle.

Enecilla added that diet should support building muscle.

“Adequate protein intake is crucial for muscle mass,” she said. “One study shows higher protein intake is associated with lower levels of frailty.”

Many women benefit from supplementing with calcium and vitamin D. Ask your care provider if these would help you.

Managing chronic conditions like autoimmune diseases and diabetes and following up with a primary care provider and any appropriate specialists can help reduce risk of frailty. Don’t let maintenance medications run out or necessary lab work fall by the wayside.

Keeping the mind busy and healthy can also contribute to avoiding frailty. Enecilla said that poor mental health can increase risk for frailty.

“Make sure you stay engaged and manage things like depression and anxiety,” she added.

Overall, avoiding frailty is about remaining engaged with life.

“Aging doesn’t equate frailty,” Enecilla said. “Some seniors lead robust, active lives. Target factors that lead to frailty and look at possible causes already present. It enhances quality of life and reduces risk of severe health consequences and leads to a more active lifestyle.

“I see 80- and 90-year-olds at the Y doing Silver Sneakers,” she said. “Aging doesn’t always mean decline.”

Carol Sames is an associate professor of physical therapy education at Upstate Medical University.

Free Forum About Prostate Cancer Care

for Oct. 9

BREAST CANCER

Awareness Month

Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY (HOA) presents an educational forum on prostate cancer care from 6-7 p.m., Oct. 9 at HOA’s East Syracuse location, 5008 Brittonfield Parkway.

It is free and open to the public, and a light dinner will be served. Reservations are requested at rsvp@hoacny.com or 315-472-7504, extension 1303.

HOA’s experts in treating prostate cancer will lead the forum. They are medical oncologists, Steven Duff and Ajeet Gajra, and radiation oncologist, Shing Chin. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a discussion with the presenters.

“We are excited to offer this educational opportunity to our community,” said CEO Maryann Roefaro, HOA CEO. “It is important for prostate cancer patients and their loved ones to learn about all of their treatment options directly from a medical oncologist who can manage all of their cancer care.”

HOA is a private community cancer center established in 1982 with a mission provide the highest level of quality care in a healing environment for the mind, body and spirit of patients dealing with cancer and blood disorders. A member of the Community Oncology Alliance, HOA has offices in Auburn, East Syracuse and Camillus.

the

Cancer Society.

Breast Cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States.

In New York alone, an average of over 14,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

In Central New York, an average of 865 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

Early detection significantly increases survival rates. When caught in its earliest, localized stages, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%

Bringing Hope Home

Regular breast cancer screenings reduce the risk of death by 47% compared to those who aren’t screened. Since 1990, breast cancer deaths have steadily declined due to early detection, improved screenings, greater awareness, and advanced treatment options.

OMEN'S HEALTH

Forming a Birthing Support Team

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Although it takes two to make a baby, having a team helping the process can make the birthing experience a little easier and even more memorable.

For one thing, “many hands make light work” is an idiom that rings true.

If you have more people on hand to take care of mom and baby, then it will be easier on the parents to bring their little one into the world.

And since they can focus on delivering their baby — not just on the associated tasks — they’ll likely focus on what will become precious memories of their baby’s birth.

If you’re close to your family, it’s likely that they’ll want to be involved. Assign tasks to anyone who wants to help, such as ferrying the mom-to-be to her prenatal appointments and taking notes (“pregnancy brain” is real!); preparing the baby’s room; shopping for baby’s needs and cleaning and stocking the house. Once it is a couple months until delivering, it’ll be tough to get all this preparation work done.

As for preparing for the big day, a birth team should include a medical professional such as an obstetrician or midwife; a main support person such as the baby’s dad, grandma, or aunt; and a birth doula.

“Gathering a supportive birthing team can help improve your labor experience,” said Michelle Rockwood, a registered nurse certified in inpatient obstetrics and the director of women’s services at Oswego Health.

“Doulas can benefit the laboring mother by providing continuous nonmedical labor support. They can help with breathing techniques, positioning, nonpharmacological pain management, reassurance and encouragement. Doulas can also help the mother maintain her birth plan by helping the parents understand

the birthing process, advocating for their choices and birth plan and facilitating communication between the parents and the medical team.”

Because doulas go with families to the hospital to offer both physical and emotional support, as well as advocacy through labor and birth, doulas help families navigate what can otherwise be a frightening experience in a largely unfamiliar place.

The doula-family relationship begins before the due date.

Birth doulas don’t replace medical personnel, but rather augment them as providing support and advocacy for the laboring mom and family. Unexpected developments and outcomes during the process can make families feel like little is within their control. In a medical setting, many of procedures and much of the language used feels foreign to parents. That is why having an ally to help can make birth better.

A big part of the birth doula’s role is to use proven measures and techniques to help moms remain as comfortable as possible while laboring while keeping in mind the mother’s safety and the safety of the baby.

“The process of giving birth is a transformative experience, both physically and emotionally,” said Christine Herrera, owner of CNY Doula Connection, which serves Central New York. “Having a dedicated support team can make a significant difference in how this experience unfolds. A well-chosen birth support team provides emotional support and encouragement, physical comfort measures and pain management techniques, advocacy for the birthing person’s preferences and needs, informed decision-making support and a continuous presence throughout labor and delivery.”

A support team isn’t just about

making moms more comfortable — although that’s important, too.

Herrera noted that research indicates that support during labor can improve birth outcomes such as shorter labor, reduced need for medical interventions and an overall better birthing experience.

“The presence of a supportive team during birth has been linked to numerous positive health outcomes, such as reduced rates of cesarean sections and instrumental vaginal births, decreased use of pain medication, increased likelihood of spontaneous vaginal birth, higher Apgar scores for newborns and improved emotional well-being for the birthing person postpartum,” Herrera added. “These benefits stem from the reduced stress and increased confidence that come with having knowledgeable, caring individuals by one’s side during this intense and vulnerable time. The combination of professional expertise and personal emotional connection creates an environment where the birthing person feels supported, informed and empowered throughout their journey.”

Because certified doulas take training in their field and have attended many births, they understand the medical language used and can help families navigate their baby’s birth. Many fathers tend to struggle with the entire experience as they

typically aren’t privy to women’s birthing stories. Men usually like to serve as problem solvers and find themselves with little to do to help in this situation.

“Having a supportive birthing team can not only help the laboring mother but also help the father understand the process as well,” Rockwood said. “Many fathers or significant others feel helpless or are unsure of what to do during the moment. The birthing team can offer opportunities for the dad to support the laboring mother. Families should have a conversation about preferences during labor and delivery, so everyone knows the birth plan ahead of time. This conversation should happen before you go into labor.”

Depending on where the mom delivers, some facilities offer staff midwives. Check with the facility to see if there’s a maximum number of “support” people allowed. Typically, doulas are not part of that number, just like medical providers.

Post-birth doulas can also help when bringing home baby. Accept any help from friends and family members who volunteer to help, whether it’s to run the laundry, walk the dog, clean, hold the baby or drop off meals and supplies. It’s OK to sign them up for specific tasks.

You can also sign up for automatic grocery delivery or meal plans.

IParenting

By Melissa Stefanec MelissaStefanec@yahoo.com

Books Are the Gateway Paper

n the age of social media and the internet, being seen with books can be so mid*.

It’s hard to sell kids on books when they have constant overstimulation at their fingertips. Interacting with books is wildly different than interacting online, but I’m a firm believer in books being able to compete.

Despite the mighty allure of the digital world, I have managed to raise kids who love books. This was no accident. I was purposeful about raising readers. I wanted them to find empathy, education and beautiful escape in the pages of books. As avid readers, I know they are in the minority.

Reading for enjoyment is trending down among children in the United States. According to new data from the “Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report,” kids are reading less as they age. Scholastic found that 70% of 6- to 8-year-olds read for fun. By the time those same kids are 7- to 12-year-olds, only 46% of them read for fun. That’s a shame, because reading opens doors to other people, other places and yourself.

So, if you want your kids to read more, I have some tactics to share. No matter how old your kids are, I hope these tips help your kids make space for literature.

• Buy books about stuff they love — We want our kids to love what we love. That’s normal, but it’s also mildly illogical. Whatever your kid’s passion is, buy them books about it. Maybe they love rocks, venomous snakes, hairstyles, fart noises, mummies, kittens or drawing. Whatever they love, give them books about those things.

• Get a library card Make reading tangible. Take your kids to the library. A lot of libraries have bookstores where you can buy books very cheaply. Most libraries trade books with other libraries via an inter-loaning system. Just about any book your kid wants, the library can find (and for free).

• Trade books with your friends

Once your kids have books they don’t read anymore, have them swap books with their friends. Have a literary potluck and help other kids find their new favorite books. Even if

your kid is the oldest, they can share what books they loved most with the younger kids.

• Put books on their wishlists When the relatives want to spoil your kids on special occasions, put a lot of books on their wishlists. Fill those lists with books your kids can enjoy and relate to. Make books special by giving them on special occasions.

• Limit screen time — If you want your kids to read, you have to limit screen time. Interacting with screens is like a drug to most children. If you let them look at screens, either passively or actively, they will likely choose that over many activities. My children have screen time, but it’s regulated to leave room for other, healthier things.

• Bring books in the car — Don’t let screens be the go-to entertainer on car rides. As long as your kid isn’t prone to motion sickness, make reading the usual passenger activity. If they can’t read in the car, you can put on audiobooks for some of the ride.

• Bring books for waiting rooms — Waiting rooms are inherently boring (unless you are reading In Good Health right now!). Have your kids bring their own books when they are going to be sitting around for a while. They may quickly discover that waiting isn’t all that bad.

• Ask them about their books Encourage your kids to share the stories they read with you. Get to know the plots and the characters. Ask your children fun and interesting questions about what they are reading. Let them regale you with information, even if you don’t find it interesting. Sharing what they learned will make reading that much better.

• Read in their presence Actions speak louder than words. In this case,

let your children see you reading. Instead of reading online, subscribe to a magazine and let your kids see you reading it. Read smut, fluff, or books about molecular biology. Just let them see you reading. Send the message that reading isn’t something one outgrows.

• Give them lots of genres — I’ve heard many parents frustrated that their kids only read certain kinds of books. Who cares? Your kids are reading and enjoying it. That’s the goal. You don’t want to be told what to read. Let this be one place where your kids have (almost) total control.

• Ask for recommendations on social media — If you aren’t sure where to start, turn to social media. There are a lot of readers in your network; you might be surprised who chimes in with amazing recommendations.

• Let them read what makes them happy — I can’t stress this last one enough. If they read something and enjoy it, give them more of it. Nurture that love. My daughter has almost 50 books from the same series and has started writing fanfiction for it. I literally cannot read these books, but I still love these books for what they give me to my daughter.

I hope these tactics help fellow parents encourage their kids to read for pleasure. After all, reading is a life-long gift. It helps people maintain healthy sleep, reduces stress, can slow mental decline and improves empathy and relationships. What more could we possibly want for our children? And all for the mere cost of a book (which is free at your local library).

*Mid: Gen Z slang for something that is average or not special.

OMEN'S HEALTH

U.S. Births Continue to Fall, Dropping

by 17% Since 2007

Final government data finds the number of U.S. births falling by 2% last year compared to 2022, continuing a decades-long decline.

Overall, annual U.S. birth numbers have fallen by 17% since peaking in 2007, according to the new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The general fertility rate (births per 1,000 women) has also tumbled by 21% over that time period, the report found.

Births to females in their teen years (ages 15 to 19) are part of this trend, declining by 4% from 2022 to 2023, say a team led by Joyce Martin, of the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

In total, there were 3,596,017 births recorded in the United States last year, compared to 3,667,758 the year previously.

In other CDC birth data, fewer pregnant women received adequate

care in 2023 compared to 2022.

The number of women who received prenatal care during their first trimester fell by 1%, and the percentage who got no prenatal care at all rose by 5%, continuing a trend noted in 2021 to 2022.

“Late and no-care levels have risen steadily since 2016,” Martin’s team noted in the report.

About 10.4% of births were premature in 2023; about the same as 2022. Early-term births (during the 37th and 38th week of pregnancy) rose by 2%.

“Since the most recent low in 2014, preterm birth rates have risen 9% and early-term births by 21%, while full-term and late- and postterm births have declined,” the NCHS team wrote.

The new findings were published Aug. 20 as an NCHS Data Brief.

NYS Rates of Birth Complications After

Patients Leave

Hospital Higher Than Average

Analysis of millions of births shows one-third of birth complications occur during the six weeks following discharge and disproportionately affect Black patients.

New data shows that dangerous, unexpected birth complications often emerge weeks after the patient and baby have left the hospital, with Black patients experiencing these events at a rate 87% higher than white patients. Moreover, New York state has the highest number of these events in the nation, according to a new Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) analysis.

The analysis of these birth complications, known as severe maternal morbidity (SMM), draws on nationwide data from more than 700,000 BCBS commercially insured births and data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on more than 1.5 million Medicaid births.

Across New York state, the data revealed the rates of SMM events are higher than the national average, both overall, and for each ethnic group (Black, Hispanic, white), particularly for Medicaid members. The data also confirms racial and ethnic disparities in SMM events in New York state.

to collaborating with local community organizations to support safe pregnancies and childbirth, eliminate pregnancy-related health disparities, and improve health outcomes for new mothers and babies.”

“The statistics are alarming, but they’ve also presented an opportunity and a responsibility to confront this national crisis,” says Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s physician Simone Edwards, vice president, health equity and community investments. “Excellus BCBS is committed

Bridging the gaps

Excellus BCBS’s Bright Beginnings program is stepping in to fill necessary gaps in care like transportation, resources, and provider referrals to help new parents effectively care for themselves and their mental

health.

The program, led by Kara Traverse, manager, maternity care management, includes a team of licensed social workers and registered nurses who meet with members referred by area doctors and hospitals, family, and even members themselves.

“They contact the member, listen to their concerns and screen for depression and anxiety. From there, the case manager assesses and makes appropriate recommendations, providing resources for transportation, education, mental health support and

more,” Traverse explains. The Bright Beginnings team also collaborates with community-based partners committed to increasing maternal health care awareness and availability. From breast pump and pregnancy education to mental health screenings and arranging hospital and pediatrician visits, the Bright Beginnings program aims to help parents stay on track caring for themselves and their children.

Excellus BCBS also supports programs for maternal mental health run by community-based organizations across its operating area. Some of these efforts include Cortland-based Seven Valleys Health Coalition’s Post Partum Doula Support and Doula Partnership, Syracuse-based Contact Community Services’ Maternal Mental Health Follow Up Support, and Utica-based Integrated Community Alternatives Network’s (ICAN) Maternal Health Equity for Pregnant Homeless Teens.

Read the full report, “Improving Postpartum Maternal Health Outcomes,” part of the BCBS Health of America Report series, here: http:// bcbsa.co/6046YtIzI.

Submitted by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

SmartBites

By Anne Palumbo

The skinny on healthy eating

Could Your Gut Use Some Love? Try Kefir

Ever since I discovered that kefir

— a fermented milk product with more probiotics than yogurt — could benefit my achy gut, I jumped on it.

From the health benefits to the tangy taste to the ease of consumption, it checks all the boxes.

Plus, I’m tired of skipping activities because of my finicky gut, and, so far, kefir is doing the trick.

Fermented foods — like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha — teem with probiotics, the “good” bacteria that can help restore the natural balance of bacteria in your gut and decrease signs of gut inflammation. Reducing inflammation is important, especially since longterm gut inflammation can increase the risk of chronic diseases over time.

What’s more, a healthy gut can boost the immune system, help keep blood glucose levels stable, and may even influence moods and mental health, according to the Mayo Clinic.

I’m also hooked on kefir because it’s a rich source of calcium, protein and B vitamins.

Forever seeking ways to strengthen my bones and prevent loss, I look forward each day to the 300-400 mg of calcium per cup that kefir provides. Same goes for the impressive dose of protein that kefir delivers per cup: 9 grams. Protein is a building block for muscles, cartilage, skin, and — yes! — bones.

Kefir is rich in energy-boosting

vitamins, most notably vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B12. This powerhouse combo helps turn food into fuel, build red blood cells and minimize the risk of birth defects. Also, both vitamins can help slow cognitive decline as well as nuke toxic free radicals, whose buildup in our bodies can cause chronic disease and premature aging. Especially good news for those seeking stronger bones: Both vitamins may support bone health and prevent osteoporosis.

Not a big fan of bananas, the go-to food for potassium? Reach for kefir, whose potassium levels rival a banana’s. An essential mineral for all body functions, potassium is your heart’s best friend: it keeps the beat regular, reduces the effect of sodium (present in table salt) on blood pressure and lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Anne Palumbo lifestyle columnist, food guru, and sea soned cook, who has perfected the art of preparing nutritious, calorie-conscious dishes. She is hungry for your questions and comments about SmartBites, so be in touch with Anne at avpalumbo@aol.com.

Helpful Tips

Read nutrient labels carefully (some flavors have more sugar than others). Pair kefir with foods high in “prebiotics” — such as bananas, apples, and berries — for a synergistic combo that optimizes gut health function. Some kefir brands (like Lifeway low-fat kefir) are up to 99% lactose-free, which may make them tolerable for those with mild lactose intolerance.

1 cup kefir of choice (I used Lifeway low-fat vanilla)

½ cup blueberries

½ cup sliced strawberries

½ cup sliced peaches

If I Can Lose 50 Pounds, You Can Do It, Too

By Shaina Zazzaro

Summer is over, fall is here. Time for you to get in gear (did you like my rhyme?)

Summer allows us to make excuses for staying consistent. We only get a few months a year in Rochester to enjoy sunshine and warm weather, so naturally we go out to parties more, out to dinner more, and lack planning our food more.

I am here to help guide you to begin planning more to set you up for success until at least Christmas.

Let’s stop making excuses and get to work!

The easiest way to start is to evaluate your current eating habits and to review and make positive changes.

When people ask me about losing weight, I tell them for a week to track their food on My Fitness Pal, a health and fitness tracking smartphone app and website. The app is available for Android and iOS devices.

You can be as accurate as you

are able to be, and then in a week to review and see what habits you may have.

It can be a habit as simple as knowing that every Monday you lack preparation and eat Grubhub, not only costing you more money than if you were to plan for your food, but having high fat, high calorie lunch; or some thing like eating out every Tuesday because your kids have football practice.

The first step of change is to recognize the change so you can make a

sprinkling of favorite toasted nuts or granola

Place everything in a bowl and enjoy! Or make a smoothie with kefir and your favorite fruits.

positive adjustment to your lifestyle. By observing these habits, you can recognize an opportunity to preplan your lunch or dinner for the specified dates and times, and to pack yourself a nice, healthy

It is little adjustments that set you up for the future.

If you are looking to lose weight and live in Rochester email me at shainazazzaro@ ehmeals.com and I can walk you through options for nutrition coaching and healthy meals.

If I can lose 50plus pounds three times, you can do it too!

Study Identifies First Drug Therapy for Sleep Apnea

Novel drug treatment developed for diabetes shows promising results to treat sleep apnea

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and international collaborators have led a worldwide, advanced study demonstrating the potential of tirzepatide, known to manage Type 2 diabetes, as the first effective drug therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep-related disorder characterized by repeated episodes of irregular breathing due to complete or partial blockage of the upper airway.

The results, published in the June 21 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, highlight the treatment’s potential to improve the quality of life for millions around the world affected by OSA.

“This study marks a significant milestone in the treatment of OSA, offering a promising new therapeutic option that addresses both respiratory and metabolic complications,” said physician Atul Malhotra, lead author of the study, professor of medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and director of sleep medicine at UC San Diego Health.

OSA can result in reduced oxygen levels in the blood and can also be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, such as hypertension and heart disease.

Recent studies, also led by Malhotra, suggest that the number of OSA patients worldwide is close to 936 million.

Conducted in two Phase III, double-blinded, randomized, controlled trials, the new study cohort involved 469 participants diagnosed with clinical obesity and living with moderate-to-severe OSA. They were recruited from sites in nine different countries, including the U.S., Australia and Germany. Participants either used or did not use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, the most common sleep apnea treatment which uses a machine to maintain an open airway during sleep, preventing interruptions in breathing. Patients were administered either 10 or 15 mg of the drug by injection or a placebo. The impact of tirzepatide was evaluated over 52 weeks.

Researchers found that tirzepatide led to a significant decrease in the number of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key indicator used to measure the severity of OSA. This improvement was much greater than what was seen in participants that were given a placebo. Importantly, some participants that took the drug reached a point where CPAP therapy might not be necessary.

Cancer Awareness

NY Cancer Rates Higher Than National Average

Rates

Upstate are even worse than some other areas of New York, according to latest figures

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Arecent study by an organization affiliated with Columbia University indicates that compared with the rest of the nation, New York showed higher incidence rates for prevalent cancers, especially among those aged 25 to 49 for several cancers, including breast, colorectal, thyroid, kidney, renal pelvis and leukemia.

A few answers as to why were offered by Christopher P. Morley, Ph.D., chairman of the department of public health and preventive medicine and professor at Upstate Medical University.

“This is a complicated question because the broad mapping data combine all cancer types,” said Morley, who also serves as editor-in-chief of peer-reviewed Reports in Medical Education Research (PRiMER).

“However, we know that disparities, in cancer incidence and in outcomes, exist between rural and urban populations. One issue is that we often see markers of health behavior that increase risk for cancer as higher in rural populations. In New York state, for example, you can simply visually compare the maps of where smoking rates are higher with the cancer incidence maps and you can visually discern the connection.”

Tobacco use has been implicated

Mammograms:

as a factor in causing numerous types of cancer. Morley added that areas where more people consume higher levels of red meat, fried foods and alcohol tend to have poorer health, as do those who have fewer food choices.

“Many health behaviors follow an educational and socio-economic gradient, with those who are less well-off having higher rates of tobacco and alcohol use and obesity,” Morley said.

It’s not that any one particular factor makes all the difference. It’s the stressors added up that can tip a person from reasonably good health into illness.

to face higher levels of what some social scientists call ‘allostatic load’ or the overall levels of stress that impact health outcomes.”

Morley also blamed the poor access to preventive services in rural areas. Typically, cancer that is caught and treated later is more likely to become fatal.

In addition to avoiding tobacco, reducing consumption of alcohol, red meat and processed and sugary foods, Morley encourages people to maintain a healthy weight.

“That can mean engaging in intentional exercise, but people don’t need gym memberships,” he said. “You can increase physical activity, even if it means going for a walk, taking the stairs instead of an elevator or making other small choices throughout the day that improve your physical stamina.”

Morley explained that “people in lower socio-economic strata also tend

He added that it’s easier to make lasting change through small, achievable steps rather than trying to make sweeping changes in lifestyle habits that can affect health.

Physician Haider Khadim, an oncologist with St. Joseph’s Health, explains to his patients that there are some nonmodifiable risks such as age and genetics and some that are modifiable, such as lifestyle factors and preventive health measures for some types of cancer, such as screenings and tests.

“There are a few cancers we can screen for like prostate cancer and

breast cancer,” Khadim said. “For prostate cancer, have a blood test after 50. There’s colonoscopy for colorectal cancer. It’s appearing more in younger people so we lowered the age to start screening at 45, not 50. Women should also get mammograms done at age 40 and sooner if a close family relative who had breast cancer. Young men should get screened if their mothers had cancer younger. There’s a perception that BRCA mutation perception that only women can get breast cancer, but men can get it as well. Families with BRCA positivity are prone to prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer. A family should consult with a geneticist.”

Physician Tarek Sousou, a medical oncologist and hematologist who is the board president of Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY, said that genetic risk from hereditary mutations causes up to 10% of cancers.

“Through screening tests, these patients can undergo enhanced screening and other risk reductive strategies to avoid developing cancer or diagnose it at earlier stages when it can be more readily cured,” Sousou said. “Adjustment of controllable risk factors such as avoidance of tobacco, enhanced cancer screening and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight can help reduce genetic and age-related risk for cancer.”

Maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging in New York. In a CDC study from 2017 to 2020, New York ranked among states with a self-reported sedentary rate of 25% to 29%. A handful of Southern states ranked worse. However, New York ranked worst in the Northeast.

Long, cold winters may help explain the low rates of physical activity in the area. However, sedentary lifestyle should be avoided for many reasons, including the fact that it contributes to higher rates of obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases and illnesses, including cancer.

Choosing an activity that is enjoyable and also meets health goals can help people stick with it.

Finally, 40 is the New 50! When it comes to mammograms, experts now advise women to get tested for breast cancer at age 40

The U.S. Preventive Services

Task Force this year lowered the age recommendation for when individuals should begin getting screened for breast cancer.

The task force now advises eligible individuals who are not at high risk and who don’t have a family history of breast cancer to get screened every other year starting at age 40, which is 10 years earlier than its previous recommendation. Regular screenings are recommended to continue through age 74.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, accounting for about 30% of all new cancers diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, behind lung cancer. Early detection is key, and a mammogram can detect a tumor up to two years before it can be felt by the patient or a health care provider.

“Screening for breast cancer saves lives, so it is important for everyone who is eligible to be screened to follow these new recommendations,” says physician Nicholas Mas-

sa, vice president of medical affairs at Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. “Unfortunately, not everyone who is eligible is getting a mammogram.”

About 20% of individuals in New York state who are eligible for breast cancer screening are not getting screened, according to an Excellus BCBS review of the most recent data from the National Cancer Institute. Among eligible individuals between the ages of 50 and 74, 81.4% had a mammogram in 2022.

Obstacles that may prevent someone from having routine breast cancer screening can include lack of

transportation, inconvenient screening facility hours, and/or patient apprehension about screening discomfort and safety.

To combat the transportation barrier, some hospitals and medical practices bring a mobile mammography van out into the community. Many hospitals and clinics also offer extended hours for on-site mammography screenings, so appointments can fit most schedules.

“Screening for breast cancer can be uncomfortable, but the test only takes a few minutes,” says Massa. “The potential benefits of early can-

cer detection outweigh any discomfort or concerns.”

Routine breast cancer screening is a preventive service that is among the essential benefits included in all Marketplace health plans and many other plans, at no cost to the patient, even if a yearly deductible has not yet been met. Note: These services are free to the patient only when delivered by a doctor or other provider in your health plan’s network. An individual’s risk factors determine when they should begin getting screened for breast cancer. Those at high risk or with a family history of breast cancer should ask their health care provider about the right age and frequency of screening for them.

Learn more about breast cancer and screening by visiting the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce website at https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org and typing “Breast Cancer Screening” in the search box.

Submitted by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

About 20% of individuals in New York state who are eligible for breast cancer screening are not getting screened, according to an Excellus BCBS.

Chairman Urologic oncology; robotic and laparoscopic surger y of prostate, kidney, bladder and adrena

Urologic oncology;

GARRETT

Cancer Awareness

Saint Agatha Foundation Seeks to Raise Awareness

The foundation gives away thousands of dollars to support breast cancer patients — but some still don’t know about it, the chairwoman says

By Stefan Yablonski

The Saint Agatha Foundation is a nonprofit that provides financial support to qualified breast cancer patients across seven CNY and Mohawk Valley counties, meaning it gives free money to some cancer patients.

But, according to its chairwoman, many women are unaware of it.

Born in Manlius on June 10, 1968, Laurie Mezzalingua was the third of six children. She graduated from Manlius Pebble Hill in 1986 and Boston University in 1990.

In 1997, Laurie was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29. As she battled the disease, she became a passionate and vocal advocate for patient support.

A breast cancer patient for 12 years, she established the Saint Agatha Foundation in 2004.

She died on July 4, 2009.

But her spirit lives on.

The foundation partners with local hospitals and agencies to support patients in Onondaga, Cortland, Cayuga, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and Jefferson counties.

“We are trying to raise more awareness — because we are still finding out that many women aren’t aware of our foundation that is helping them with their breast cancer bills,” said Kathy Mezzalingua, chairwoman of the foundation and Laurie’s mother. “It’s hard to believe that after all these years, but it is true. Somehow we fall through the cracks when we can help so many women; we have money to give them.”

The foundation is dedicated to providing “support, comfort and care to breast cancer patients through financial assistance programs — allowing patients to focus on their treatment, not their bills,” she explained.

Funds are distributed to patients via both medical and non-medical service providers who apply on behalf of their patients or clientele.

Bills the foundation can assist with, once insurance has done its

part, can include everything from clinical items like lab tests, infusion, radiation therapy, doctor’s appointments to nonmedical items like child care, transportation, household and legal expenses, she added.

“We originally had a base amount that was generated by my daughter before she died. She had some money and we have fundraised. We have been able to increase the fund as well as give the money away. So we have done pretty well,” Kathy said. “We have a place on our website (saintagathafoundation. org) where people can go to make donations. We’ve grown to the point where we can give away about a quarter of a million dollars a year.”

Over the last decade, the foundation has provided financial assistance to more than 7,035 breast cancer patients by providing grants in excess

Kathy Mezzalingua is the chairwoman of The Saint Agatha Foundation.

trate on their healing and not their bills.”

As she battled the disease, Laurie became a passionate and vocal advocate for patient support, according to her mother.

“A breast cancer diagnosis is a tough one. The first thing you think of is what about my job, my family, how am I going to afford all these expenses? So we take care of that so they can just heal, get better and move on,” Kathy said. “Laurie just

Saint Agatha Foundation has provided $17.5 million in financial support to more than 10,000 breast cancer patients in Central New York

of $13.5 million to local hospitals and partner organizations.

Overall, it has provided $17.5 million in financial support to more than 10,000 breast cancer patients in Central New York, she added.

“We are in seven counties — Oswego being one of our excellent partners and Onondaga County of course. We are extending north, south, east, west. We don’t want to go as far as the major cities like Rochester or Buffalo or Albany,” she said. “We want to stay within Central New York because there is so much need there. That’s our focus; that’s our goal; to help these women, help them, as my daughter said to concen-

felt so badly; she said, ‘we have got to help these people so they have the same opportunities that I do.’”

Saint Agatha Foundation joins many other institutions in Central New York in recognizing National Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a way to draw attention to the continuing and critical fight against breast cancer,

“We take this opportunity to spotlight our unique mission of providing financial support to breast cancer patients in our community, to help patients focus on overcoming their diagnosis instead of worrying about unmet financial stress they may be facing,” she said.

“We don’t actually do things on our own a lot. The only thing we really do on our own is the gala,” she said. “Some of the individual regions will have their own individual fundraisers. This gala is our major fundraiser, but we are hoping to do more for more visibility in the future.”

This year’s gala is set for Oct. 24 at the Syracuse OnCenter. For more information, visit their website.

“We have our administrative office in Pennsylvania — that is our national headquarters.

I’m still the president. I oversee the board. We meet three times a year; vote on all the decisions, all the grants,” she said. “I work on things weekly with my administrator. We have a woman in Syracuse through CancerConnects who helps with all the local things. With the regional, we leave it up to your organizers. We also give to places like the Y, support groups and we give to legal aid ... we have a wide range of services.”

CancerConnects, Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated in New York in 2006, under the guidance and support of physicians, staff and cancer survivors/patients of Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York, P.C.

Saint Agatha tags on with other events to help raise awareness, she explained.

“I’m going to keep doing this for as long as I can, absolutely! And then one of my children is going to take over,” she said. “It’s a healthy, very healthy endowment that we want to continue in perpetuity.”

Saint Agatha Announces 15th Anniversary Gala

Tickets, sponsorships

still available for the Oct. 24 event

Saint Agatha Foundation announced that its 15th anniversary gala — “The Promise Continues” — will take place Oct. 24 at the OnCenter in Syracuse.

Laurie Mezzalingua, who succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 41, established the Saint Agatha Foundation to provide financial assistance to breast cancer patients facing hardships.

“The Promise Continues” reflects the promise that was made

to Laurie to continue aiding breast cancer patients. This milestone event celebrates the foundation’s 15 years supporting breast cancer patients in eight counties throughout Central New York, continuing the mission inspired by Laurie.

Over the past 15 years, Saint Agatha Foundation has supported more than 12,400 patients, providing essential financial aid for treatment, medication and surgery not covered by insurance. With the generous sup-

port of the community, the foundaton has expanded its services, ensuring that patients can focus on their recovery without the burden of financial stress.

The gala will feature Steven Montgomery, Laurie’s radiologist and friend, as the honorary chair. The foundation will also honor g surgeons Patricia Numann and Kara Kort, and herbalist, the late Y.C. George Wong, all of whom played a part in Laurie’s 11-year journey.

Kristine Keeney, a breast cancer surgeon, will represent medical professionals dedicated to making a positive and lasting impact on patients’ lives. Jim Towey, acclaimed author of “To Love and Be Loved” will serve as the emcee for the evening.

Those interested in learning more, sponsoring the gala or obtaining tickets are encouraged to visit www.saintagathafoundation.org and click on “Tickets and Sponsorship” button.

My Turn Cancer Blood Test

By Eva Briggs, MD

Aquestion that patients sometimes pose is, “Why isn’t there one blood test that can test for cancer?”

Or the similar request, “Just test me for everything.”

Part of the answer is that cancer is not just one disease. There are many different types of cancer, arising in different body tissues or organs. And each has its own unique biological and chemical composition.

For a test to be useful as a screening test, it must fulfill certain criteria:

• The disease tested for is a significant public health problem. Screening tests look for relatively common conditions that cause significant morbidity (symptoms and suffering) or mortality (death). Sometimes a condition is detected that does not progress to cause symptoms or even resolves spontaneously. That’s called pseudo-disease. Treatment won’t help, might be expensive and have side effects, and the person with pseudo-disease experiences unnecessary stress and worry.

• The disease has an available treatment that increases the chance of cure when the condition is detected early. There is no sense in finding an illness if there is no way to treat it. And if the treatment does not work better when the disease is found at an earlier stage, the test is not beneficial.

• The test can detect the dis-

ease before symptoms appear. Once symptoms begin, testing is diagnostic and no longer a screening test. The phase where a person has the disease, but no symptoms is called the preclinical phase. Finding disease during the preclinical phase is the aim of a screening test.

• The test must be safe. A test that harms patients is not useful.

• The cost must be reasonable.

• The test must demonstrate that it leads to better outcomes. There is no sense to find a disease early if treating it before symptoms appear does not increase the chance of cure or decrease symptoms and suffering.

• The test must be widely available and the treatments for the condition it finds must also be widely available. If the treatment is unaffordable or almost impossible to obtain, there is no real benefit.

All these factors contribute to the difficulty of developing a screening test for a single disease.

Yet there are some tests available that claim to screen for multiple conditions from one sample. These are called multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests. None are FDA approved, although at least one has a CLIA waiver because it is performed in a central laboratory. Therefore, doctors can order it.

This MCED test is called GRAIL Galleri test. Unfortunately, it has not

yet been scientifically proven to meet all the above criteria. There is a risk that this test may be of little or no benefit. It could cause harm such as false negative tests that incorrectly reassure people that they don’t have disease. False positives could lead to further testing, worry, and side effects. And it could cost money better used elsewhere. If you decide to pursue this or other similar tests, be aware of these potential drawbacks. This test is not a substitute for current known effective screening tests such as mammograms, PAP tests, HPV tests, colonoscopy, PSA blood test, and low dose CT scans for lung cancer.

In the future MCEDs may be discovered that are safe, effective, and accurate. Scientists continue to work on such tests.

Eva Briggs is a retired medical doctor who practiced in Central New York for several decades. She lives in Marcellus.

What to Do After a Cancer Diagnosis

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Two generations ago, a cancer diagnosis felt like a death sentence. Thanks to medical advances in treatment, more people can survive the disease.

But that doesn’t take the sting out of hearing a doctor say, “You have cancer.” In some cases, what patients do next can affect how well they cope and even their chances of survival.

1. Take time to absorb the news.

“Being the son of a father who died of cancer last year and the father of a son who had a benign tumor in his leg, I know that everyone is unique in the way they respond to the news initially,” said physician Kaushal Nanavati, assistant professor of family medicine and medical director of integrative therapy at Upstate Medical University. “Some feel strong emotion; others don’t know what to feel. There’s no ‘wrong’ initial reaction.”

What’s important is to recognize the feelings and to feel them without judgment.

2. Realize that it’s OK to grieve.

Patients may feel angry, sad, regretful, anxious, numb or any number of other feelings.

“We all go through stages of grief,” Nanavati said. “Ideally, be with someone whom you love, trust and respect who can support you emotionally. Early on, when you hear ‘cancer’ your mind goes in many directions.”

3. Don’t assume the worst.

Remember the adage, “Don’t borrow trouble.”

“Many cancer conditions are considered chronic,” Nanavati said. “You can live a long and often healthy life

with the right care and support medically and personally. Connect with primary care and oncology team to get the details in terms of what it is, what the impact can be potentially, the treatment options. Our mindset tends to put the cart before the horse. Knowing all the options is important.”

4. Get a second opinion.

“That can be valuable to un derstand differ ent approach es,” Nanavati said. “Different cancer centers have different access to research and expertise. A patient should look for an environment that supports the treatment of cancer and their overall health and healing.”

bers will say, ‘Call if you need anything.’ It’s OK to assign them a few regular chores to take some pressure off, such as having someone transport the kids, drop off a meal one day a week or perform a few cleaning chores regularly.

“Everyone’s there early on, but many patients say they have their team set up and they don’t want to overwhelm them,” Nanavati said.

That’s why spreading out assignments among more people can help the helpers provide long-term assistance.

8. Plan to vent.

It’s healthy to let out concerns and emotions in a safe space.

5. Look for support.

Most providers offer community liaisons and other resources.

“Our goal is to help people throughout the journey and help them flourish in their physical and mental and social and emotional and spiritual health,” Nanavati said. “We have complementary services we offer that can support them in these different areas of their life.”

6. Remind caregivers to care for themselves.

“Their journey is unique as a support person,” Nanavati said. “It’s important to address their needs and try to have direct engagement with them. Otherwise, there can be a big disconnect emotionally.”

7. Assign tasks to those willing to help.

Some friends and family mem-

“It’s important for the caregiver and patient to designate time where they have ment free time to download without the other trying to solve their problems,” Nanavati said. “Oftentimes, they don’t want to talk about their concerns because they don’t want to worry the other person. They need to talk about how they feel without the other trying to fix it.”

information than sites like Reddit or Quora.

10. Remain skeptical of home remedies.

“Some patients believe they can be treated by vitamin C,” Khadim said. “That’s not the standard of care in the US. They travel to Mexico to get care and by the time they get back, they’re too far gone. At least talk with a provider before trying allopathic medicine. That’s the only platform we have: data-driven medical care. Herbal medicine may work also, but there’s not a lot of research to show there’s efficacy.”

9. Stay off the internet.

“Don’t rely on information on YouTube or Google,” said Haider Khadim, a medical oncologist with St. Joseph’s Health. “There’s information online that sways people from the standard of care.”

11. Consult with your care team.

This could include the primary care provider and specialist.

Ask a care provider for online resources. These offer more accurate

“Patients should be their advocate and see an oncologist or surgeon as soon as they can,” Khadim said. “We’re here to expedite the care. Even waiting a few days with a diagnosis of cancer, people get stressed out. I’ve seen people not want to get treatment after their diagnosis because they’re stressed out. There’s a lot of help around we want to work with the doctors in the community to provide good care in a timely fashion. I think there needs to be more oncologists. An oncologist is also a hematologist. We see benign hematology, which doesn’t kill people, but that doesn’t mean benign hematology is not important.”

SURVIVORS SHARE THEIR Stories

DEBRA MACDOUGAL

Survivor is grateful for financial help it got from Saint Agatha, other foundations

By Mary Beth Roach

Debra MacDougal, 66, had her regular annual mammogram in the spring of 2023.

When the results came back a few weeks later, her doctors told her they wanted her to have a sonogram.

Following that, she said, the doctor immediately suggested a biopsy. After a series of other tests, it was confirmed that she had breast cancer, specifically, invasive ductal carcinoma stage 1A.

“When I was first told that, I did not cry,” she said. “I was at peace because I look at it this way — if you do have it, what can you do about it?”

As MacDougal sees it, everyone has challenges in life.

“We’re given those challenges to make us stronger and to learn something from it,” she said.

After the diagnosis, things moved quickly. In July, she met with her surgical team, and on Aug. 24, she had a mastectomy. Earlier testing had shown that there were three masses, two on the top of her breast,

the other on the lower part. And because she’s small-breasted, a lumpectomy was not feasible, she explained.

During the surgery, her doctor also removed two lymph nodes and sent them for a biopsy.

As explained by the Mayo Clinic, a sentinel node biopsy is a procedure to see if cancer has spread. It can tell whether the cancer cells have broken away from where they started and spread to the lymph nodes. Sentinel node biopsy is often used in people who have breast cancer, melanoma and other types of cancer.

In MacDougal’s case, the first lymph node had signs of cancer; the second did not.

MacDougal is on a hormone medication that she said she needs to take for five years. Her doctor has told her it’s hard to say she’s in remission yet because she’s still got four more years on the medication.

However, MacDougal said her prognosis is very good; tests in May were great and more follow-up

LILIE WELYCH

A ‘thriver’ describes her cancer journey

By Mary Beth Roach

Lilie Welych considers herself a “thriver.”

And she proudly wears an alphabet-bead bracelet that spells out TNBC THRIVER.

TNBC stands for triple negative breast cancer, which she was diagnosed with two years ago.

Today, that thriver is in remission and NED (no evidence of disease).

She said the experiences over the past two years have given her a greater appreciation of her blessings. She is involved in numerous support groups online; she hopes to spread the message of services and resources available to other breast cancer survivors and she wants to help start a local support group specifically for those with the same type of cancer she had.

But it has been a harrowing journey for the 68-year-old Warners resident who was diagnosed in December of 2022 with stage 3 TNBC in her left breast.

She had gone for her annual mammogram in November of 2021. In April of 2022, she had a sonogram, which she routinely gets because she

has fiber cystic disease and dense breasts.

Neither test showed anything.

Six months later, when she went for her annual mammogram on Nov. 11, 2022, she said she expected everything to be fine. She was told there were irregularities and that she needed further testing. Her radiologist said it was a mass.

“I was sort of in shock; certainly not in denial, but I hadn’t expected this,” she said.

Especially since there was no history in her immediate family and there had been nothing on her sonogram.

It proves, Welych explained, how aggressive this form of breast cancer can be. The American Cancer Society has noted that TNBC is different from other invasive breast cancers in that it grows and spreads so fast.

In early December, she met with a surgeon and had genetic testing done. Since she has a daughter, she was concerned for her sake, but she tested negative.

By the end of December, Welych had had a port implanted and che-

testing is slated for November.

Before surgery, she told her doctor she did not want reconstruction, concerned about any repercussions that might happen and because, at that time, there was not a reconstructive surgeon near enough to her home in West Monroe in southern Oswego County.

She said she did have concerns about how she was to cover her bills. She was able to get financial support — and some moral support, too — from the Saint Agatha Foundation, CancerConnects and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

She neither smokes nor drinks. She also spends a great deal of time exploring nature around her home.

Recently, she took part in a docu-

motherapy began, with the aim of shrinking the tumor to facilitate surgery later. For the following 12 weeks, she had weekly infusions, with each one lasting three to four hours. In addition, every three weeks she needed a Keytruda infusion.

Following that series of treatments, she started on a more potent regimen the next week. And because the chemo can decrease your white blood cells, she was receiving shots of Neulasta.

mentary filmed for the Saint Agatha Foundation, titled “Impact of Our Mission,” which will premiere at the foundation’s gala on Oct. 24. The film, produced by Johnson Studio & Camera, features testimonies given by patients who have been reached by Saint Agatha Foundation’s mission.

In a follow-up to this interview, MacDougal further expressed her gratitude to these organizations in an email.

“I feel everyone must be his or her own foundation, love thyself completely, surrender and live in the moment no matter what comes their way. It is when one does that, that their whole being changes and the energy that goes out to others comes back to them. You receive people around you with beautiful energy, such as doctors, nurses, CancerConnects, Saint Agatha Foundation, Susan G. Komen. I think every individual with breast cancer should be in touch with these beautiful, supportive and caring organizations for they will ease their burden so that they may heal and just be ‘in the moment’ with their healing and recovery.”

In addition, MacDougal noted that “the breast cancer patient also gives something to all they come in contact with and that is strength, love, understanding, courage and, yes, happiness.”

She lost all of her body hair, even inside her nose!

Since the chemo didn’t put her in remission, she underwent surgery on July 3, opting for a single mastectomy, instead of a lumpectomy, to make sure that they got it all. Eight lymph nodes were also removed.

For several months following the surgery, she had to do radiation followed by oral chemo because the TNBC can have rogue cancer cells. Because lymph nodes had to be removed, she has to do certain exercises and wear a compression sleeve two to four hours a day to facilitate

drainage of lymphatic fluid. She sees a lymphedema specialist every few months. As for her journey, she explained that her body is different than it was before and emotionally, she’s very appreciative of her blessings. She credits her husband, family, good friends and her team at Hematology-Oncology Associates. And she continues to find help among online support groups she has discovered through the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation and the TNBCThriver.org. She plans to take part in the YMCA’s Live Strong program and this past summer, she spent a weekend with other women cancer survivors at a special wellness retreat at Camp Good Days and Special Times, located near Rochester.

As for the future, she said, “The prognosis is live your life one day at a time.”

Or perhaps, thrive each day would be more apt in Welych’s case.

KRISTIN MEROLA

The ‘light at the end of the tunnel’

By Mary Beth Roach

It was 2021. Kristin Merola, then 37, was navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, along with her son, Ethan, who was 13 at the time. She was also planning her wedding that fall.

And then the Cicero resident was diagnosed with breast cancer — more specifically invasive ductile carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

A DCIS is considered precancerous and is classified as stage 0.

Merola said that for years she had had a lump in her right breast. Because there is a history of cancer in her family (her grandmother died from cancer and her mother is now nine years cancer-free), she had had it tested and was told it was merely dense breast tissue. In June and December of 2020, her mammogram and sonogram showed nothing. She wasn’t due for another mammogram until December of 2021.

But during the summer, while trying to lose weight for the wedding, Merola noticed that the lump appeared to have gotten bigger. She thought that perhaps it just looked

which her doctor scheduled an MRI and within two hours, she was told that the mass “was highly suspicious.”

“I was devastated,” she said. Her mother had been diagnosed with the same kind of cancer several years prior. Moreover, she said that after a close friend and her future father-in-law had both received their cancer diagnoses, their conditions worsened quickly.

Her doctor advised her not to Google anything, since it could cause her added stress. She didn’t, but even without internet searches there was enough to fuel her anxiety. She was the mother of a teenage son and a bride with a wedding to plan. She was coping with the impact of the pandemic, worrying that she might get COVID-19 from her then-fiancé, Jeremy, who works with the public; and she wondered about her own mortality. The isolation forced by the pandemic compounded the situation, she said, leaving her too much time alone with her thoughts.

A biopsy a few days later con

Because the lump, or tumor, was so big, a lumpectomy was not an option. She opted for a double mastectomy in October, about three weeks after her wedding.

She and Jeremy were married in September of 2021 and while she said it was a beautiful day, it was overshadowed with thoughts of the upcoming surgery, which she had on Oct. 12.

The final pathology report came back and while it showed that the cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes, the HER2 came back negative, and the tumor showed that the inva

tamoxifen for 10 years and she’s in a clinical study for Lupron, which she receives every three months. It puts her into medical menopause, with the shot of lowering hormones.

At this time, her oncologist suggested that she didn’t need chemo, but it was also recommended that she talk with another oncologist for a second opinion.

A doctor at Sloan-Kettering thought she should do it. She then underwent another test, which would determine the makeup of the tumor and the rate that it could return. Her results were in the low recurrence score and because the cancer had not spread to her lymph nodes, she opted not to have chemo.

She had implants done in January of 2022.

After the surgery, Merola said she was still plagued with fears about the cancer coming back. She has been able to find a professional to help her with that anxiety.

That has made a world of difference for her, she said. While she fears a recurrence, it is not ever-present in her mind. She’s back to work parttime at A&E SNY Surgery Center; she finds great comfort in a support group through the Hematology-Oncology Associates; talking with other friends and acquaintances who are cancer survivors; journaling; working out with an online trainer, and

OPEN HOUSE AD -IN GOOD HEALTH

Come

Cancer Center in Camillus!

Cancer Awareness

LEFT: Several members of the leadership and medical staff at Hematology-Oncology Associates pose during the first day at the new facility in Camillus, Sept. 16: Jennifer Pichoske, chief operating officer; physicians Cherie Tan, Olga Kligerman, Stefania Morbidini and Steven Duffy; and Maryann Roefaro, the practice’s chief executive officer.

Photo by Chuck Wainwright.

RIGHT: The new 21,000 square foot Hematology-Oncology Associates Comprehensive Cancer Center in Camillus, at 5490 Cobbler Way, opened Sept. 16. HOA will host a community open house at the new center from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17.

Hematology-Oncology Opens a New, Larger Facility in Camillus

With the addition, HOA is projecting an increase in patient volumes of 30%

By Stefan Yablonski

Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY outgrew its Onondaga Hill location.

“Today was our first day of seeing patients in our new facility,” said Maryann Roefaro, CEO, on Sept.16. “It was the first day of operations in our new place.”

HOA moved into the new 21,000square-foot comprehensive cancer center in Camillus, at 5490 Cobbler Way. It not only replaces and expands upon the previous site — it offers room for future expansion. There is more parking available as well.

HOA will host a community open house at the new center from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 17. The official ribbon cutting is set for 4:30 p.m., Roefaro added.

With the addition of the Camillus office, HOA is projecting an increase in new patients and patient volumes of 30%.

“It took a while to buy the land and plan it all. The construction took probably like 18 months,” Roefaro said. “Construction began in spring 2023.”

“We’ve been around for 42 years. Our main building is in Brittonfield Parkway in East Syracuse and it’s a 65,000 square foot facility,” she added. “We (have) had another — adjacent to Upstate at Community General Hospital which was 13,000 square feet. We will be selling that to Upstate; they own the land. In addition, we have a practice in Auburn and a wellness center in Camillus.”

People are finding their way around the new place.

“Really, it’s very easy — you walk in [and] radiation is straight ahead, medical oncology is to the right. The waiting room is kind of

like the hub of everything so patients don’t have to walk very far,” she said. “It’s really beautiful. I am so happy with how it came out.”

At the new site, there will be three full-time medical oncologist-hematologist physicians. Also, one radiation oncologist physician. (The radiation oncologist position rotates. But there is a radiation oncologist onsite every day).

“We have 20 physicians and about probably close to 30 nurse practitioners, physician assistants and then we have a total of about 320 employees, maybe 350. It’s a big place,” Roefaro said. “We’ll have about 35 employees over in our Camillus site — three full-time doctors and we might have some other physicians that come in and out. It’s a full-service comprehensive site.”

The facility will have radiation oncology, medical oncology, 29 little cubicles for infusion (including noncancer infusion) and more.

“It’s a comprehensive site and we are very excited to be in that area,” Roefaro said.

“Our number of cancer patients grows every year by at least 10%,” she added.

There are a number of new treatments, so cancer is becoming like a chronic disease, she noted.

“People are living longer; we have a lot more treatments available,” she said. “It’s transitioning to more of a chronic disease rather than an acute.

“We are serving people longer. You’ve got to be able to have the manpower to be able to see those patients and also new patients every year; it’s not like the number goes down. We continue to see — even in

light of all the new preventions — we continue to see a fair amount of new patients.”

Success

“I guess our success is being the provider of choice. When people are diagnosed, we see the majority; we see about 70% of the CNY adult cancer market,” she said. “Our patient satisfaction scores are extremely high.”

HOA also has a very high retention rate for its employees.

“You can’t look on your success as how many patients are cured, how many died. We don’t look at that kind of stuff,” she explained. “We look at our quality indicators; we have a lot of benchmarks that we look at and we measure ourselves on that.

“Our goal is to offer the highest level, state-of-the-art technology and treatments, while meeting the emotional needs of our patients and their families. There is the individual success of patients, their ability to resolve their cancer illness and live normal lives that’s for sure one success. But we don’t really measure that.

“I like to say we’re an employer and a provider — that’s how I measure success. I think we are successful; we have been doing this for 42 years. We have a wonderful culture here.”

HOA has social workers, support groups and more.

“It takes a village, a lot of people and infrastructure to do a good job. It’s not just about physical — it’s physical emotional and spiritual. We want to do a good job and we

want to do it for the person in their entirety. It’s not just about treating the cancer — it’s about treating the person,” she said.

“Our mission is really for the mind, body and spirit for patients dealing with cancer. Those three components are everything.”

Services Provided at the Camillus Facility

Continuing HOA’s commitment to provide patients with holistic and personalized cancer care that is state-of-the-art, comprehensive and convenient, the new center offers the following services under one roof:

• Medical cancer care, including Infusion Services for cancer and other non-oncology needs

• Radiation cancer care

• Care for blood disorders (hematology)

• Wellness center offering holistic care and classes for cancer patients and the community

• Medical imaging

• Nutritional counseling

• Counseling for patients and caregivers

• Clinical research

• Laboratory services

• Medication services

• Thoracic cancer care

• Cancer survivorship program

• Supportive oncology care

• Lung cancer screening

• High-risk cancer screening

• Family cancer genetics program

• Smoking cessation program

For more information visit hoacny.com

Upstate’s Mobile Mammography Unit: Five Years on the Road

Van has traveled 47,000 miles, completed

mammograms

Upstate Medical University’s Mobile Mammography Van, known as the Mammovan, recenty celebrated its fifth anniversary.

In five years, the van has traveled 47,000 miles to bring mammograms to women in 12 counties around Central New York. More than 4,000 mammograms have been done on the van and 17 cancers detected.

Even during the pandemic, the Mammovan was put into service as a COVID testing site, before heading back out on the road for breast cancer screenings so women could keep their appointments up to date.

health care initiative.”

“The Upstate Mammography Van is an extension of our clinical care mission throughout Central New York,” said Upstate University Hospital CEO Robert Corona. “This mobile option for care helps broaden the accessibility of this life-saving screening for women. We are grateful to all our partnership communities for hosting Upstate in this important

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in New York state. Each year, nearly 16,000 women in New York are newly diagnosed with breast cancer and about 2,500 die from the disease according to the New York State Department of Health.

The mobile health clinic started with a grant from Health Research Inc. and the New York State Depart-

ment of Health—now supported fully by Upstate—to bring this lifesaving screening to women who, for various reasons, can’t travel to a hospital or facility to obtain one.

Wendy Hunt, program manager, said the van is out on the road an average of four days a week and can see as many as 20 patients per day. The van is equipped with the same state-of-the-art screening technology found in a clinic setting and images are read by licensed radiologists. The van has a reception area, a changing area, a nursing exam room, and an imaging room. For patients who have mobility concerns or use a wheelchair, the van has a wheelchair lift.

Call 315-464-2588 or visit us at www.upstate.edu/noexcuses for more information or to request an appointment.

For a full list of upcoming screening events, visit www.upstate.edu/ mobile-mammography/events.php

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Ronald McDonald House Charities Completes Expansion

Six new family suites at the CNY Ronald McDonald House are now available to guest families

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central New York (RMHC of CNY) announced the completion of its $1.1 million expansion of the CNY Ronald

McDonald House and marked the official opening of its fourth floor at a ceremony on Sept. 5.

With the completion of the expansion, RMHC of CNY is better

UPSTATE CARDIOLOGY CONTINUES TO GROW

LEFT: New family suite room at CNY Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse.

RIGHT: Suite bedroom available at the expanded CNY Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse.

equipped to meet the growing needs of guest families and accommodate large and multigenerational guest families.

The expansion project involved the renovation of more than 9,000 square feet of previously unfinished space on the fourth floor of the House to add six new family suites.

The new family suites — including four one-bedroom suites and two two-bedroom suites — enable RMHC of CNY to increase its capacity and offer more family-centered spaces to large and multigenerational families.

Additionally, the suites provide a private living space to families with children who are immunocompromised, and give working parents and family members a designated space

to work remotely during their stay.

“We’re excited to begin using these new suites to serve even more families in need and keep them comfortable and close when it matters most,” said Beth Trunfio, executive director, RMHC of CNY. “This expansion will help us take comfort, caring and love to new heights, and it was truly made possible by the generosity and incredible support we received from our community and donors.”

Construction on the project began last fall and was managed by Zausmer-Frisch, Scruton & Aggarwal, who designed and built the CNY Ronald McDonald House in 20112012.

By Jim Miller

What Are the Early Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes?

Dear Savvy Senior,

What are the early signs and symptoms of diabetes? I’m 60 years old, and in pretty good shape, but was just diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. What did I miss?

Diabetic Dan

Dear Dan,

The signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes can be so mild that many people miss them. That’s why testing is so important.

Here’s what you should know.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans have diabetes today, and another 97 million have prediabetes, but many of them don’t even know they have it.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that develops slowly over decades. Most people have prediabetes for a long time before the disease becomes full-blown diabetes and, even then, it progresses gradually.

Diabetes occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. This excess blood sugar damages blood vessels and affects circulation, putting you at risk for a host of ailments, from heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney failure and nerve damage.

Signs and Symptoms

So how can you tell if you have diabetes?

The earliest signs, which are usually subtle, including urinating more frequently (often at night), being thirster and hungrier than usual, weight loss without trying, feeling very tired, having dry itchy skin and blurry vision.

And the symptoms that can indicate advanced diabetes and longterm damage has occurred includes cuts or sores that heal slowly, having more infections than usual, and pain or numbness in your feet or legs.

Who Should Get Tested?

Because prediabetes typically causes no outward symptoms, and the signs of early Type 2 diabetes can easily be missed, the only way to know for sure if you have it is to get a blood test.

Everyone age 45 years or older should consider getting tested for diabetes, especially if you are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) above 25. See CDC.gov/bmi to calculate your BMI.

If you are younger than 45 but are overweight or have high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, or belong to an ethnic group (Latino, Asian, African or Native American) at high risk for diabetes, you should get checked too.

To help you determine your risk for diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has a quick, online risk test you can take for free at Diabetes. org/risk-test.

Diabetes Tests

There are three different tests your doctor can give you to diagnosis diabetes. The most common is the “fasting plasma glucose test,” which requires an eight-hour fast before you take it. There’s also the “oral glucose tolerance test” to see how your body processes sugar, and the “hemoglobin A1C test” that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. It can be taken anytime regardless of when you ate.

Most private health insurance plans and Medicare cover diabetes tests, however, if you’re reluctant to visit your doctor to get tested, an alternative is to go to the drug store, buy a blood glucose meter and test yourself at home. They cost around $20.

If you find that you are prediabetic or diabetic, you need to see your doctor to develop a plan to get it under control. In many cases lifestyle changes like losing weight, exercising, eating a healthy diet and cutting back on carbohydrates may be all you need to do to get your diabetes under control. For others who need more help, many medications are available.

For more information on diabetes and prediabetes or to find help, join a lifestyle change program recognized by the CDC (CDC.gov/diabetes-prevention). These programs offer in-person and online classes in more than 1,500 locations throughout the U.S.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

The Social Security Office Ask

From the Social Security District Office

Tell Us About Changes When You Get Benefits

By Warren Beck Social Security District Manager in Syracuse.

If you receive Social Security, you can help to make sure we pay you the right benefit each month. You can do that by telling us about relationship or other life changes that could affect your eligibility for retirement, survivors, or disability benefits – or the benefit amount.

You and your family may miss out on additional payments you may be due if you don’t report changes to us in a timely manner. Or you may be overpaid benefits and have to pay us back.

What you need to tell us

To make sure you are paid correctly and receive the payments for which you are eligible, let us know right away if:

• You get married or divorced.

• Your spouse or former spouse dies.

• You become the parent of a

child (including an adopted child).

• The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record gets married.

• The child (or stepchild) who gets benefits on your record no longer lives with you. Note: We will need the name and address of the person with whom the child is living. How to report changes

We offer several ways to report changes:

• Call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

• Call your local Social Security office.

• Fax, mail, or deliver your updates to your local office.

You can use our office locator at www.ssa.gov/locator to find your local office.

If you get retirement, survivors,

Every child. Every family. Everybody

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or disability benefits and need to update your address, phone number, or direct deposit, it’s easy to make those changes using your personal my Social Security account www.

& A

Q: Can I use the metal or plastic versions of Social Security cards that some companies make?

A: No. Your Social Security card has security features which are not detectable if laminated or if a metal or plastic version is used. There is no need to have a replica of your card. In most cases, simply knowing your Social Security number is enough. At other times, we strongly recommend that you keep anything with your Social Security number on it with your other important papers. Do not carry your Social Security card with you. You should question anyone else other than your employer who asks for your Social Security number or your card. Not everyone you do business with needs it.

Q: I just received my first disability payment. How long will I continue to get them?

A; In most cases, you will continue to receive benefits if you have a disability. However, there are certain circumstances that may change your continuing eligibility for disability benefits. For example, one of the following may apply:

• Your health may improve to the point where you no longer have a disability.

• You would like to go back to

ssa.gov/myaccount. Or you can use our automated telephone services at www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/ phone. Get the right check, in the right amount, at the right time, by reporting changes right away!

work rather than depend on your disability benefits and you are successful in your attempt.

Also, the law requires that we review your case from time to time to verify you still have a disability. We tell you if it is time to review your case, and we also keep you informed about your benefit status. You also should be aware that you are responsible for letting us know if your health improves or you go back to work.

Q: My 15-year-old sister has been blind since birth. I think she should apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), but my parents think because she’s a minor, they’re responsible for her and she won’t be eligible. Who is right?

A: To be eligible for SSI, certain income and resource limits must be met. Since your sister is a minor, some of your parents’ income and resources will determine whether she is eligible for SSI. Once your sister turns 18, their income and resources won’t be considered when deciding her eligibility and payment amount. Tell your parents they can check at any Social Security office to see if your sister may be eligible. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-3250778).

Health News

Roefaro joins Francis House board of directors

Maryann Roefaro, CEO of Hema

MaryAnn Roefaro tology-Oncology Associates (HOA) of CNY, has joined Francis House’s board of directors. She is a board-certified fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives and maintains an active role in leadership development through various speaking engagements and internet radio shows. She has served the Central New York community for over 30 years in senior healthcare leadership positions. She has been HOA CEO since 2002.

Roefaro earned her bachelor’s degree from the Albany College of Pharmacy and her master’s degree from Upstate Medical University. She obtained a doctoral degree in divin ity from the American Institute of Holistic Theology.

Roefaro serves as a board mem ber and adviser to several communi ty organizations and is the co-found er and president of the board of directors of CancerConnects, Inc. She is a reiki master, a certified heart-cen tered hypnotherapist, and a senior ChiRunning instructor.

Roefaro is the author of the lead ership development book “Building the Team from the Inside Out,” as

well as the author of books “A Human’s Purpose by Millie the Dog” and “Snippets from the Inside Out by Millie the Dog.”

Francis House, now in its 33rd year of service to the Central New York, provides a home and a supportive extended family to people with terminal illnesses; those with a prognosis of three months or less to live. Its family of caregivers, staff, and volunteers surround each resident with unconditional love, guided by core values of compassion, acceptance, respect, and dignity.

Francis House welcomes all residents regardless of faith, ethnicity, or ability to pay for their care.

Orthopedic surgeon joins Oswego Health

Andrew Ogg recently joined Oswego Health Medical Prac-

bilitation and outpatient orthopedic and sports medicine clinics. In 2011, he transitioned his focus to orthopedic surgery and worked throughout the northeast including at Millcreek Community Hospital, Spartansburg Regional Health Center, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, Vohra Wound Physicians, and Larkin Community Hospital.

He completed his orthopedic sports medicine fellowship at Inova Fairfax Medical Center in Northern Virginia. He took care of many professional teams including the Washington Spirit, DC Defenders, Loudon United, DC United, Washington Nationals, World Rugby Championships, and local high schools. In 2023 he completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Larkin Community Hospital in South Miami, Florida.

Ogg earned his medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2004 he completed his master’s of physical therapy from The Ohio State University. He also completed a wound care fellowship and a master’s of medical education.

Ogg

He began his career in medi cine as a physical therapist working for several years in skilled nursing facilities, acute care, inpatient reha

Crouse Health Unveils Expanded Emergency Department

Following a four-month renovation Crouse Health has opened a newly expanded rapid evaluation unit (REU) in its Pomeroy Emergency Services Department (ED).

When patients arrive at the ED walk-in entrance, they are quickly directed to a team of healthcare professionals (usually a physician and a tech) who rapidly assesses the patient’s condition. This includes all walk-in critical and noncritical patients.

“As part of the rapid evaluation process, the Crouse ED team assesses the patient’s medical history, performs necessary tests and determines the appropriate course of action,” says emergency services director Hilary Reeves. “By streamlining processes and dedicating specific staff to lower acuity cases, patients receive timely, efficient care without compromising quality,” adds Reeves.

“This process helps manage ED flow by efficiently caring for patients who need lower-acuity care. This benefits all patients by preventing overcrowding,” says physician David Mason, medical director for Crouse’s emergency services. “Faster evaluation and treatment leads to improved

Health team since 2001, starting as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit and advancing through various leadership positions.

Pagliaroli will now oversee the integration of clinical and operational strategies to elevate patient care and ensure alignment with Oswego Health’s mission. Her role will involve driving strategic initiatives to improve healthcare delivery and strengthen the organization’s role as a leading regional provider.

“Katie Pagliaroli’s dedication to Oswego Health needs to be recognized and this promotion demonstrates her tremendous professional growth,” said Michael C. Backus, president and CEO of Oswego Health. “As chief operating officer, as well as senior vice president and chief nursing officer, Katie will build off her deep expertise and unwavering commitment to local healthcare transformation. Through her leadership, Katie will undoubtedly enhance the quality of care we provide and expand our impact in the community.”

Kathryn Pagliaroli Named Oswego Health’s COO

Kathryn “Katie” Pagliaroli has

patient satisfaction.”

The REU project was made possible through a federal congressional grant of $1 million secured by Sen. Chuck Schumer. “Senator Schumer’s tireless focus and dedication in securing critical funding for our region’s healthcare providers continues to have a major impact on thousands of patients,” says Crouse Health CEO Seth Kronenberg.

“The grand opening of Crouse Health’s newly renovated rapid evaluation unit is a shot in the arm for Central New York’s healthcare system. Crouse’s REU will help advance operations in their emergency department, allowing for improved evaluation and treatment of patients to streamline the best care possible,” said Sen. Schumer. “I was proud to help secure $1 million for this project to ensure that Crouse receives the resources it needs to continue saving lives.”

58,000 patient visits in 2023

With more than 58,000 patient visits in 2023, Crouse’s ED is the busiest in the region in overall adult patient volume. Crouse’s ongo-

been promoted to chief operating officer at Oswego Health. She currently serves as senior vice president and chief nursing officer. She will retain those titles in her new role. Pagliaroli has been part of the Oswego

Pagliaroli earned her Master of Science in management from Keuka College in 2009 and her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Roberts Wesleyan College in 2001. Her contributions to the field have been widely recognized, including accolades such as the CNY Organization for Nurse Executives and Leaders Regional Leadership Award and the Rising Leader Award from the New York Organization of Nurse Leaders. Most recently, she was honored as the Healthcare Executive of the Year by the Central New York Business Journal and recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of the “Hospital and Health System Chief Nursing Officers to Know.”

ing, dedicated focus on increasing efficiency and improving service throughout the ED has resulted in the lowest door-to-provider times in Central New York.

Additionally, door-to-intervention times for cardiac and stroke care exceed national averages. One mark of an efficiently run, patient-focused ED is to keep the number of patients who leave before being seen by a provider (LWOBS) to a minimum. Crouse has the lowest percentage in this category, lower than the New York state and national averages.

As part of the renovation of the main entrance to the ED, and

to increase access and safety in the department overall, a state-of-the-art weapons detection system has been installed. In addition, the physical environment has been designed to support safety and security with an open floor plan that enhances visibility throughout the space.

“We’re proud of our emergency services team for their leadership and dedicated focus on making the patient experience more efficient and seamless, ensuring that patients are not only treated quickly, but that they receive the highest level emergency care in the region,” says Kronenberg.

Robert

Katie Pagliaroli

Crouse Health holds an event to unveil the newly expanded rapid evaluation unit in its Pomeroy Emergency Services Department. This will speed up treating patients who come to its emergency department.

search and the exchange of ideas in bioethics and related disciplines in the health-related humanities. The

Amy Brown

work of the health humanities is to examine, interpret, and illuminate the representations of human suffering and health in clinical care, public health, and scientific research, and the ethics related to all these endeavors.

Brown joined Upstate in 2014. Her research focuses on social, cultural and legal dimensions of disagreements between families and clinicians in pediatrics and the development of just and equitable hospital policies. Her work has been published in numerous journals, including the American Journal of

Bioethics (AJOB), Pediatrics, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), among others.

Brown earned her medical

degree from Emory University and also holds master’s degrees from the University of Colorado and the University of Oxford.

Fabi, who joined Upstate in 2018, has written widely on ethical issues, such as health care for undocumented immigrants and refugees, reproductive injustice and public health policy that have appeared in numer-

Exceptional Family Resources (EFR) and ARISE Merge

The boards of directors of Exceptional Family Resources (EFR) and ARISE recently announced their decision to merge the organizations to better serve people with disabilities.

Both organizations are committed to delivering person-centered services to ensure that people with disabilities are fully included in the community at work, school and home.

Founded in 1979, ARISE is the designated independent living center for Onondaga, Oswego, Madison and

Cayuga counties. It provides more than 50 different programs to people of all ages with all kinds of disabilities, including a mental health diagnosis. ARISE is founded on the independent living philosophy, which recognizes the power of people with disabilities to direct their services and set their goals and requires full inclusion and access. ARISE’s affiliate corporation, ARISE at the Farm in Madison County, is widely known for its inclusive recreation programs.

Founded in 1974, EFR is a leader in providing community-based

Crouse Health Foundation’s 7th Annual Polo for Preemies Raises $80,000

Crouse Health Foundation’s seventh annual Crouse Health Polo for Preemies, held July 28 at the Skaneateles Polo Club, was attended by over 850 guests and raised more than $80,000 to benefit the Baker Regional NICU. The “Little Fighters” in the NICU receive exceptional care from a dedicated, expert staff of neonatologists, nurses and pediatric specialists at the highest level NICU in a 14-county region.

In addition to the thrilling polo match, family activities and silent auction the afternoon was made even more special by the attendance of Coach Adrian Autry and members of the Syracuse men’s basketball team.

For more information or to inquire about the 2025 Polo for Preemies, contact Bree Amborn, breannaamborn@crouse.org or by phone at 315-470-7006 in the Crouse Health Foundation office.

services and supports to people with developmental disabilities. Among its many programs is the thriving self-directed program, in which people with developmental disabilities manage their staff and services. EFR enjoys an advocacy foundation because individuals and families are at the core of its origins and ongoing operation. EFR’s desire to be an employer of choice is driven by the philosophy that the individuals we support and their families receive timely supports and services in the way that best meets their needs.

ous publications, including JAMA, Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics, New England Journal of Medicine, the American Journal of Bioethics and the American Journal of Public Health.

She has served as a Greenwall Fellow in Bioethics with the National Academy of Medicine and received the Upstate Medical University President’s Award for the Advancement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Her teaching responsibilities include an intensive weeklong law and advocacy course for first-year medical students and a course on physicians and social responsibility for first, second and third-year medical students, among others.

Fabi holds a Ph.D. in health policy and management with a focus in bioethics and health policy from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“This collaboration will not only maintain but also surpass the highest standards of care for the individuals and families we assist, while also fostering a more robust and secure work environment for our team members,” said Bruce Drake, CEO of EFR.

“ARISE and EFR are incredibly well-matched,” said Tania Anderson, CEO of ARISE. “We both believe in the power of people with disabilities. Together, we will be stronger and better able to serve our community.”

Upon securing legal approvals, EFR will be the surviving corporation governed by a board combining the contributions of each organization’s current board of directors.

Rachel Fabi

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Pulaski woman stands out in maledominated job