The program, led by Dr. Elisabeth McKeen, medical oncologist, and Conni Murphy, a nurse practitioner with specialized training in cancer genetics, consists of a genetic screening process to determine whether individuals are at risk for certain types of cancer. Before and after genetic testing, the patient may have a genetic counseling session, where a member of the program’s specially trained staff will help explain the results and answer any questions or concerns.

 

Through intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), patients can receive radiation directly to a small area all at once, as opposed to the usual method, in which a larger part of the body receives radiation for a longer period of time. The standard radiation therapy schedule for a breast cancer patient is five days a week for up to six weeks, whereas IORT delivers all of the needed radiation at one time. This is not only more convenient for patients, but may result in less radiation exposure to nearby organs and tissues. IORT also uses a much smaller radiation dose than external beam radiotherapy.

 

The hospital’s Breast Institute is the first in South Florida to be named a Center of Excellence for Hidden Scar™ Breast Cancer Surgery, an advanced approach for nipple sparing mastectomies and lumpectomies. This type of surgery hides scars, minimizing the daily emotional reminder of a breast cancer diagnosis.

 

Mayda Loveland Tress, RN, has been inducted into the Tenet Heroes Hall of Fame, Tenet Healthcare’s highest honor for employees. When Tress lost her niece, Kelly, to breast cancer, she turned her grief into a gift of service. Tress joined forces with World Help, a humanitarian organization, to raise funds for and build a 50-bed home, called “Kelly’s House,” in Guatemala. The house is designed to support special needs children. Tress is also a devoted medical mission volunteer and has treated hundreds of people who have had little or no medical care. She sponsors nine children in Guatemala and two in Uganda.

 

Good Samaritan earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award with Target: StrokeSM Honor RollElite. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to providing the most appropriate stroke treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

 

Good Samaritan provided 5,000 servings of cereal for local families in need of food assistance through its Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive. The drive yielded 305 boxes, which were donated to Feeding South Florida for distribution to families within Palm Beach County.