OCTOBER EDITION, VOLUME 2017, NO. 10
Capital Medical Society Celebrates National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By Shelby Blank, M.D.
As October draws near, our community and our nation slowly turn varying shades of pink. From the pale pink ribbons on lapels to the shocking hot pink sneakers and gloves we see Sundays in the NFL, the message is everywhere. Where some see the commercialization of a disease or a marketing ploy, I see something very different. This emblem - as simple as a color - gives patients a lifeline and a connection to the millions of others who have come before and who will unfortunately come after. Women and men who have fought the fight and have been through what the newly-diagnosed now have facing them. This transcends age, race, and even gender. This is a club that no one wants to join, but once in, members can draw strength from so many sources. If you think that something as small as a pink ribbon, a bracelet, or even a pair of socks can’t make a difference, well that’s not the case. Pink sends a message: people care, people are thinking about you, people are raising money, and people are doing the research that may change the face of this disease in the future.
It all starts with the phone call - the hated call. “We need more views on your mammogram” or “We need to talk about your biopsy results.” There, the journey begins. For many patients with a new diagnosis of breast cancer, what happens after is just white noise that lasts hours, days, or sometimes months. It is my goal to bring clarity to that noise and order from that chaos - to take the dreaded and unthinkable, and make it manageable, beatable. Breast cancer patients are clever and cool, people you want to know and hang out with. I confess, the more breast cancer patients I have in my clinic on any given day, the more likely I am to run behind schedule - these are folks with whom I enjoy talking to and spending time. I never envisioned becoming a breast surgeon. Starting out as a general surgery resident, that term seemed to indicate a practice that was somehow limiting, a pigeonhole I strongly resisted. While breast surgery today is only a portion of my practice, my view today is vastly different. The time CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Capital Medical Society thanks the physicians and dentists in this community who provide care to breast cancer patients. CAPITAL MEDICAL SOCIETY 2017 MEETINGS CALENDAR November 7, 2017 October 17, 2017 October 23, 2017 CMS Membership & CME Meeting CMS Membership & CME Meeting Connect the Docs Health Effects of Common Electronic Prevention of Medical Errors Happy Hour Devices (2-Hour CME) Sponsored by Capital City Bank Alice Pomidor, M.D., MPH, FSU College Scott Sellinger, M.D. and Jesse Suber, Esq. 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm CMS Dr.Market Alfredo Paredes, Dr. John of Medicine 6:00 pm Delegates: (l-r) Dr. The Bill WineKepper, House (1355 Street, A1) 6:00 pm Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Bailey, Dr. Hugh VanLandingham, Dr. Rohan Joseph, Dr. Christie Maguire Center for Lifelong Learning at Westminster Oaks Alexander, Dr. Michael Forsthoefel, Dr. Alma Littles, Dr. Gary Westminster Oaks
Winchester, Dr. Tracey Hellgren, Dr. David Dixon, Pam Irwin, and Shannon Boyle. (Not pictured: Dr. John Mahoney)
December 7, 2017 CMS Foundation Holiday Auction 6:30 pm FSU University Center Club
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