In Memory Of A Warrior, $285K Awarded To Hospital To Fight Cancer
"The Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital stands as a tribute to one woman's courageous battle."
By Lisa Finn
Southampton Patch
Published January 9, 2019, 7:32 pm ET
Courtesy of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, from left: Sara Blue, Special Events Director, The Ellen Hermanson Foundation; Julie Ratner, Ed.D, President, The Ellen Hermanson Foundation; Steve Bernstein, Chief Development Officer, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital; Anne Tschida Gomberg, Executive Director, The Ellen Hermanson Foundation; Amanda Star Frazer, Esq., Board Member, The Ellen Hermanson Foundation; and Robert S. Chaloner, Chief Administrative Officer, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.
SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Great strides continue to be made in the fight against breast and other cancers on the East End.
To that end, the Ellen Hermanson Foundation has recently awarded $285,000 to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital to benefit the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center and Ellen's Well, a program that provides psychosocial support to breast and gynecological cancer survivors, as well as the Phillips Family Cancer Center, which is scheduled to open later this year.
The Phillips Family Cancer Center, to located on County Road 39, will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility designed by Bridgehampton architect Blaze Makoid, a release from the hospital said. The Cancer Center will provide all the services that cancer patients require, including treatment planning following diagnosis, radiation and chemo therapies, navigation and education, and supportive care in a dedicated facility.
The mission of the Ellen Hermanson Foundation has been deeply rooted in making a difference in those battling cancer, close to home.
"When we started Ellen's Run in 1996," said Julie Ratner, president of The Ellen Hermanson Foundation, "we decided to always keep the money we raise on the East End. Today — 23 years later — the funds we raise provide a comprehensive range of direct services that make a real impact on the lives of women and families in our community."
As part of the grant, the Foundation is underwriting the cost of a Leica Mammotome Expert Biopsy Suite, the most advanced technology available that enables surgeons and radiologists to access and examine specimens without leaving the operating room, eliminating the need to transfer the specimen to another location for analysis, a release explained.
In addition, the Foundation is providing funding for an Hologic Affirm Prone Breast Biopsy System that uses three-dimensional imaging to facilitate the biopsy process; three chemotherapy infusion chairs to complete its pledge of 10 chairs for The Phillips Family Cancer Center; and the following programs and services offered through the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center and Ellen's Well:
Mammograms for uninsured women
Ultrasounds for uninsured women
MRIs for uninsured women
An oncological social worker
Renewal & Hope three-day retreat
Day of Renewal & Hope
Nutritional counseling
Transportation assistance
Reflexology during chemotherapy
Massage & Acupuncture therapy
Yoga
Water exercise
Strength training
"We cherish our longstanding partnership with The Ellen Hermanson Foundation and are grateful beyond words for this most recent grant," said Bob Chaloner, chief administrative officer at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. "Over the years, generous grants from the Foundation have made it possible for us to acquire state-of-the art equipment and provide vital and compassionate support services for breast cancer patients and their families. As a result of this collaboration, The Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital stands as a tribute to one woman's courageous battle memorialized by her inspirational sisters."
The Ellen Hermanson Foundation aims to ensure access to state-of-the-art breast health care and empower people affected by cancer. Funds raised provide access to essential health care in the community through mammography screenings at the Ellen Hermanson Breast Centers at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and its satellite locations in Hampton Bays and East Hampton.
Through Ellen's Well, The Ellen Hermanson Foundation provides oncological social worker-led support groups, nutrition, yoga, and other healing opportunities for breast cancer survivors — all free of charge. No patient is turned away from The Ellen Hermanson Breast Center for lack of insurance or inability to pay for treatment.
"Our Foundation remains committed to honoring the memory of our sister by empowering Stony Brook Southampton Hospital to make a difference in the lives of women, men and families who are battling breast cancer," Ratner said.
The foundation was created to honor the legacy of Ellen Hermanson, who was "an articulate, courageous and indomitable warrior in the war against breast cancer. Her personal battle with the disease began in Feb., 1989, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer while still nursing her 6-month-old daughter. Ellen fought against her disease medically by undergoing surgery and aggressive chemotherapy," the foundation's website explains.
In 2016, Southampton Hospital continued to expand its options for battling breast cancer, celebrating the addition of two diagnostic services to its radiology site at the Hampton Bays Atrium, providing critical access to services for women living west of the Shinnecock Canal.
Original article: https://patch.com/new-york/southampton/memory-warrior-285k-awarded-hospital-fight-cancer