Paint Port Pink, Mather Hospital’s annual month-long breast cancer awareness community outreach, kicks off on Oct. 1 with a lighting of pink lights by community partners in Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station and the surrounding communities. Lamp posts along main street in Port Jefferson will be lit up with pink lights, as will the Theatre Three marquee and many store windows.
Paint Port Pink’s goal is to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection, encourage annual mammograms and bring the community together to help fight this disease.
One in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. About 2,650 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2021. As of January 2021, there are more than 3.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S. This includes women currently being treated and women who have finished treatment.
Mather Hospital’s HealthyU webinar series will present two free educational programs — The Role of Genetics in Breast Cancer on Tuesday, Oct. 5, and Common Breast Cancer Myths and Screening Options on Tuesday Oct. 12. Both webinars begin at noon. Register for these webinars at matherhospital.org/healthyu.
Oct. 15 is Wear Pink Day, and everyone is encouraged to dress themselves — and their pets — in pink and post their photos on social media with #paintportpink. Then send those photos to [email protected] and they will be included in a collage on the hospital’s Facebook page.
The popular Pink Your Pumpkin Contest returns this October. Get creative and post photos of “pinked” pumpkins on social media with #paintportpink. Send those photos to [email protected] by Oct. 25 for the contest. The winner will be chosen Oct. 26 and will receive a $100 gift card.
Paint Port Pink community sponsors will again be offering special promotions to raise money for the Fortunato Breast Health Center’s Fund for Uninsured. Redefine Fitness, 5507 Nesconset Hwy #2, Mt Sinai, will host a fitness class on Oct. 24, from 10 to 11 a.m., for $20 per person. Month long promotions include Fedora Lounge (404 Main St, Port Jefferson) offering pink hair extensions — $15 for one, $25 for two. The Soap Box (18 Chandler Square, Port Jefferson) will donate 10 percent of sales of all pink products on display at the main counter. And Chick-fil-A, 5184 Nesconset Hwy, Port Jefferson Station will donate 10 percent of sales on strawberry milkshakes. More information on these and other promotions can be found at www.paintportpink.org
A complete calendar of events, more promotions and a list of Paint Port Pink community partners is available at www.paintportpink.org. For more informaton, call 631-476-2723.
Schedule a mammogram
The Fortunato Breast Health Center at Mather Hospital, 75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson uses state-of-the-art breast imaging technology in a warm and assuring environment with a commitment to giving you personalized breast healthcare.
Their staff of professionals provides 3D mammograms and offers individualized follow-up care, education for patients, families, and the community, as well as breast cancer support groups.
Their Breast Center radiologists are specialists who only read breast imaging studies and look back as far as possible at your history of breast images for any subtle changes or abnormalities to provide the most accurate reading.
The Breast Health Center has also partnered with the Suffolk Cancer Services Program (CSP) to provide free breast cancer screenings to individuals who qualify. The CSP provides breast cancer screenings to women age 40 and older without health insurance in Suffolk. If any follow-up testing is needed, the CSP will provide those tests too. If cancer is found, CSP will help enroll people who are eligible in the NYS Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program for full Medicaid coverage during treatment.
Patients can find out if they are eligible for free screenings or schedule your annual mammogram by calling 631-476-2771.
