St. John’s Episcopal Hospital and Community Members Celebrate Mammography/Women’s Health Awareness at Cinco de Mammo Event

Far Rockaway, New York, May 3, 2019 — A grand celebration in honor of women’s health awareness was held today at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. At the bash, known as “Cinco de Mammo,” community members learned the importance of receiving mammograms and health screenings, easily scheduled appointments, and became acquainted with the abundance of services St. John’s offers at its various practices throughout the Rockaways. Event attendees included community members, patients, and hospital staff who were treated to live music from a Mariachi band, refreshments, and more.

“The purpose of the Cinco de Mammo event is to encourage the public to get health screenings, especially mammograms,” said Rosemary Bonilla, Vice President of Physician Practice & Ambulatory Care. “Breast cancer is prevalent in the Rockaways, and residents need to be educated about getting screened so that cancer is caught and fought in its early stages.”

In a community study, the Rockaways [and Central Queens] were identified as having the highest breast cancer rates in Queens County, and early breast cancer diagnosis rates are lower than the US average.

“Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year,” said Donald Morrish, MD, Chief Medical Officer. “It is extremely important to get regular screenings because early detection increases your chance of finding breast cancer before it spreads.”

Beyond mammograms, SJEH, and several of its community practices, offer a variety of women’s health services including well-woman visits and screenings; routine and high-risk obstetrics; reproductive endocrinology and infertility services; management of abnormal Pap smears; minimally invasive surgery; gynecological oncology; and urogynecology.

Event attendees also learned about the hospital’s future expansion plans which include building a Women’s Comprehensive Health Center and a 3,850-square-foot Radiation Oncology Center.

The Women’s Comprehensive Health Center will feature routine and sub-specialty gynecological and obstetrical services; maternal fetal medicine; urogynecologic services; cancer screening; breast surgery; behavioral health; nutrition service; bone density scanning; and ultrasound, mammography, and on-site lab services.

The Radiation Oncology Center will contain the latest, state-of-the-art equipment available including the Rockaway’s only linear accelerator–a machine that customizes high energy x-rays or electrons to conform to a tumor’s shape and destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding normal tissue.

“I want to thank St. John’s Episcopal Hospital for bringing such vital resources to our community,” said Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Far Rockaway) . “Breast Cancer has touched so many of our lives and it is important to encourage the public to get screened regularly.”

To schedule an appointment call (718) 869-7690.