MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center employees came together in an effort to raise awareness of breast cancer, remember loved ones lost and encourage those who continue to fight, at the “Hope Lives Here” ceremony.
Situated outside the Todd Cancer Pavilion, where patients are treated for various types of cancer every day, employees wore pink to create a giant breast cancer awareness ribbon, and honor their colleagues who are cancer survivors.
“While October is internationally recognized as an awareness month, we believe that every month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” says Angela Sie, M.D., medical director, breast imaging, MemorialCare Breast Center, Long Beach Medical Center. “Each year, we perform more than 30,000 imaging tests. We are committed to finding small, treatable breast cancers in order to ensure the best outcomes for our patients. One way we do that is by encouraging women to have annual screening mammograms, and perform their monthly breast self-exams, in addition to annual clinical breast exams by their health care providers.”
One thing that was made clear throughout the event: cancer does not discriminate. Women of all ages should be aware of changes in their bodies at all times and communicate any concerns to their physicians. In the fight against cancer, the importance of early detection cannot be stressed enough.
Employees also participated in an Instagram pop-up mural that was designed by a breast cancer survivor. The goal of the mural is to raise awareness of breast cancer in the community. It will be at several events throughout the month, including the Long Beach City Council meeting and the Aquarium of the Pacific Health Fair.
The MemorialCare Breast Center at Long Beach Medical Center specializes in the early detection of breast cancer – utilizing state-of-the-art technology, for the highest level of breast imaging. Full-service breast imaging capabilities include 3D digital mammography, high-resolution breast ultrasound, bone densitometry, and more. All female fellowship-trained radiologists interpret every exam, which means they have been specially trained in reading mammography images.