By Kim MorganPhoto By Pim LIM
Please click here for the story Published in Ultimate Pearland
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Help expands for area's uninsured
By CINDY GEORGEPlease click here for the story published in the Houston Chronicle
Photo by Gary Fountain - Houston Chronicle
Friday, February 5, 2010
Foundation Feature - Pink Ribbons Project
Communicating through the arts, Pink Ribbons Project raises awareness about breast cancer by helping underserved women receive screening and follow-up care throughout Greater Houston. Projecting this philosophy further in support of The Rose, Pink Ribbons Project has been instrumental in saving the lives of their community of sisters.
In 2009 two significant Pink Ribbons Project contributions totaling $226,219 completed our two-year Digital Conversion Campaign by providing the final match of the Mabee Foundation’s challenge and adding funding for a new ultrasound machine for the Galleria location. The timing of both gifts was perfectly choreographed enabling The Rose Galleria to open with full digital capacity seeing patients within two weeks, which is our standard. Since opening October 5 through the end of 2009, The Rose Galleria served 1,952 women; 663 were uninsured. 2,009 digital mammograms were performed, 677 for uninsured patients.
Pink Ribbons Project’s help in building capacity extended beyond their gifts for equipment. Throughout October, they partnered with KPFT in the fight against breast cancer. Listeners were encouraged to call and “pool” their donations together to reach a total of $1,000. Pink Ribbon’s commitment to The Rose was to donate one screening mammogram, for under and uninsured women in the Greater Houston area, for every $1,000 donated to KPFT. As a result of this community partnership, enough funds were generated for Pink Ribbons Project to provide 90 under and uninsured patients of The Rose with screening mammograms.
We sing the praises of Pink Ribbons Project for their support including the recent Pink Pool Campaign on KPFT and our new mobile mammography van and thank them sincerely for keeping The Rose in the PINK!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Rose Galleria Open House
Please join us for an Open House to celebrate the opening of our new Galleria location.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
4:00pm - 7:00pm
The Rose Galleria
5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300
Bellaire, TX 77401
Thursday, February 18, 2010
4:00pm - 7:00pm
The Rose Galleria
5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300
Bellaire, TX 77401
By having your mammogram at The Rose, you help us to care for those without insurance or the ability to pay.
Your mammogram is a gift to another women.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Cost vs. Price...A message from CEO Dorothy Gibbons
By now most folks have heard about the recent controversy surrounding the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) proposed recommendations. It was listed as one of the top five news stories in the nation for 2009. These new recommendations advocate women putting off screening until age 50, instead of age 40, as current guidelines state. Needless to say, this announcement sent shockwaves throughout the breast health community for many reasons.The suggestion that women should not begin routine screening until age 50 creates yet another barrier for women and raises so many questions around the value of mammography. The mixed messages being broadcast almost daily are taking a toll and negating years of public education about the importance of early detection in long-term survival. Access to quality breast health care should be a matter of concern for every woman, regardless of age, family medical history, or socioeconomic background.
Last year, 335 women were diagnosed with breast cancer by The Rose. Of those women, almost one-third, 105 were in their 40s and 37 were under 40 years old! Almost as many women who were diagnosed were under the “proposed recommended age of 50” as were over. Our statistics are clear and leave no doubt that mammography must continue to be affordable, accessible and available to women in their forties.
The debate is actually a question of “cost verses price.” Statistically justifying “cost” savings by eliminating screening is one thing, but there is no way—morally, ethically or statistically – to put a price on a woman’s life. That “price factor” has been ignored in the equations.
Mammography is still the most effective screening tool in finding cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage. We also believe that breast self-examination should be part of every woman’s regular health routine. Breast self-examination is by no means meant to be substitute for a physician’s medical examination or mammogram, but if you are familiar with your body, you will be the first to notice when something isn’t quite “right.”
The bottom line is your health belongs to you! Empower yourself by learning more about your personal medical history, consider the facts and talk with your personal physician. Participate in the success of your own health by committing to a mammogram as required by your personal health, family history, or age. The recommendation you settle on will be just that – personal.
Monday, February 1, 2010
New Year's Resolutions by Dr. Ward Parsons, The Rose Lead Radiologist
If you’re like most of the population, you have probably committed yourself to some sort of New Year’s resolutions. Every year we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to keep these promises we’ve made to ourselves Sometimes we are successful and sometimes we are not, but the fact that you have verbalized a desire to change your life in one small or large way is enough to celebrate. I will bet that one of your resolutions was to lose weight. That’s a popular January promise and one that is not always met with success, though usually a little guilt. So this year, let’s forget the five pounds and focus on something simple that won’t overload you with guilt. Let’s focus on your health; specifically, let’s resolve to focus on your breast health.
Words like lump, mammogram, and cancer are enough to keep some women from thinking of their breast health first. Like those pesky five pounds, it’s easier to ignore it and find a way to justify its lack of importance due to age, schedules, family history, and fear – the list goes on and on. But the truth is, breast health should be a priority for all women.
If you take the time to go to the gym, eat healthy, and get plenty of rest, why wouldn’t a breast examination be a top priority? Fear is what keeps us from trying new things, including a breast exam.
Where to Begin
The Society of Breast Imaging and American College of Radiology recommendations for imaging screening for breast cancer state that women at average risk for breast cancer should begin annual screenings at age 40. With all of the recent discussions about mammography screening recommendations, it’s easy to be confused. But the fact of the matter is if you are at greater risk for breast cancer due to family history, then talk to your doctor about when you should begin screening. If you are already 40 years of age or older and have not had a mammogram, then discuss your desire to begin screening with your doctor.
There are three basic screening methods used to look for breast cancer: breast self-exams, clinical breast exams, and mammograms.
Breast Self-Exam (BSE) – Breast self-examination isn’t meant to be an exact science. The purpose of a self-exam is to become familiar with your own breasts. Remember, you aren’t looking for anything specific, you are just learning your breasts so that in the event that something does feel “abnormal,” you will recognize it. It is not meant to replace a Clinical Breast Exam or Mammogram.
Clinical Breast Exam – A Clinical Breast Exam is a breast exam by a health care provider. If it’s not part of your regular medical checkup, then ask for it. If you are 40 or order, schedule your mammogram close to the time of your clinical breast exam.
Mammogram -- A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast done with a special x-ray machine designed just for this purpose. A mammogram can find many cancers before they can be felt.
If you can’t afford a mammogram, Medicare and most insurance plans will cover it. And remember, when you have your mammogram at The Rose, your insurance-paid mammogram will assist women who are uninsured or underinsured by offsetting the costs of their mammogram. Contact The Rose at (281) 484-4708 to schedule your mammogram.
Forget about those resolutions and make a simple promise to yourself to be more involved in your personal health. That’s a promise you are sure to keep.
About Dr. Parsons
Dr. Ward Parsons is the Lead Interpreting Physician and Radiologist at The Rose. He is an internationally known educator in Breast Imaging. Since 1992 he has been a regular speaker at Dr. Laszlo Tabar's Advanced Screening and Diagnostic Mammography Courses in the U.S., Canada, and overseas. His clinical interests include screening mammography, diagnostic breast imaging, clinical breast ultrasound, minimally invasive breast intervention, and breast imaging technology.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)