MD Anderson in Katy Honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy recognized Breast Cancer Awareness Month by lighting Heritage Square in LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch in a pink blush Friday, Oct. 12. The Pink Lighting event is held each year to literally and publicly shine a light on breast cancer and resources available in the community to those facing the disease.
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is known for pink, but more than that, it’s about people,” said Nikesh Jasani, M.D., medical director for the MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy and a general oncologist. “This unique event gives us the opportunity to honor all patients and survivors, and to share vital information on prevention, screenings and resources.”
As part of the evening, Katy-area patients and survivors were recognized, including those that participate in the center’s breast cancer support group, Breast Friends. MD Anderson staff were on hand during the event to pass out free educational materials and pink glow necklaces to spread the light of breast cancer awareness and hope.
It’s a light that already shines brightly in Katy resident Laura Finney, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in June of this year. Finney, who was already diligent about wellness visits prior to her diagnosis, has since become energized as an advocate for breast awareness and prevention, and she says that in MD Anderson, she has a real partner in her cause.
“One of the things I learned through my experience was that MD Anderson has an unbelievable preventative program,” said Finney. “There is so much information on their website for prevention, what you need to do, what you should be doing, all sorts of patient education. The staff is overwhelmingly informative and supportive – they want your input and they all work together for your benefit. I know that nowhere else would I have gotten as fast and as awesome a level of care as I have gotten here.”
According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new breast cancer cases occurred in women in the United States, and about 2,140 new breast cancer cases in men. As with all cancers, early detection is key to the best outcome.
The MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy offers a growing range of services, many which are specific to the treatment of breast disease. The team includes experts in medical, surgical and radiation oncology, supported by advanced practice nurses, pain specialists, nutritionists and social workers. The center also is available to patients who have a questionable breast lump or irregular mammogram who would like to be evaluated or who want a second opinion.
The faculty and staff at the Katy Regional Care Center, located on the campus of Christus St. Catherine Hospital, see patients diagnosed with a wide range of cancers both rare and common. Every patient seen at the center has access to multidisciplinary care, onsite chemotherapy infusion, radiation treatment, pain management and supportive care. MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy has a specialized on-site nurse navigator who assists each new breast patient through the process of diagnosis, treatment, and beyond.
For more information about the event, visit www.Facebook.com/MDAndersonKaty. To learn more about the MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Katy visit www.MDAnderson.org/Katy
