Saint Francis Medical Center’s Womancare will receive a $2.1 million facelift and renovation to improve the experience of breast health patients. Greater privacy, faster turnaround time, on-site radiologists and surgeons are just some of the benefits patients will receive following the renovation. The announcement, made today, kicks off the construction and a month of breast cancer awareness activities for Saint Francis, the region’s leader in breast care for 25 years.
The newly expanded Womancare will open in May 2011, bringing patients benefits unavailable elsewhere in the area:
• Full-time radiologists to provide real-time mammography results
• Immediate retesting – no need to reschedule
• An on-site surgeon for on-the-spot consultation, if needed
The expansion will add 1,855 square feet to the existing space, including five exam rooms, a procedure room, a nurses station and an expanded waiting room. Nine construction employees have been added to complete this project.
When complete, Womancare also will provide easy access to a full scope of care in one convenient location. The integrated, multidisciplinary team approach facilitates streamlined processes and high-quality care by dedicated breast specialists. This personalized method of diagnosis and disease management means greater convenience, privacy, timeliness and peace of mind.
“Today, one in eight American women will get invasive breast cancer. One in 33 will die from the disease,” says Steven C. Bjelich, FACHE-D, Saint Francis President and Chief Executive Officer. “Saint Francis wants to improve these statistics, and I believe this expansion is the next step in the advancement of breast care in Cape Girardeau.”
According to the American Cancer Society® (ACS), death rates from breast cancer in women have been declining since 1990, due in part to early detection by mammography screening and improvements in treatment. However, further reductions in breast cancer death rates are possible by improving regular use of mammography screening and providing timely access to high-quality follow-up and treatment. In Missouri, less than 50 percent of women age 40 and older report having a mammogram and clinical breast exam within the past year, according to data from ACS. Facilities like Womancare allow women to receive the screenings, exams, education and support they need in one location – for complete breast health at any age.
Womancare offers a complete range of breast health services, including clinical breast exams by a registered nurse, stereotactic breast biopsies to evaluate abnormalities and state-of-the-art digital mammography – the most effective resource for detecting breast cancer before symptoms appear.
Womancare will continue to offer bone density testing, with an on-site rheumatologist to determine risk for osteoporosis, a condition causing bones to become weak and brittle. Womancare’s comprehensive library provides books, videotapes and pamphlets to help women learn more about specific breast health issues, in addition to Internet access. Womancare also offers expertise on hormone replacement therapy and estrogen therapy related to menopause.
In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Saint Francis has launched Pink Up Cape, a campaign to raise awareness of the disease in the community and throughout the Medical Center. Beginning October 1, Saint Francis’ exterior will be lit with pink lights, employees will wear pink exam gloves and pink scrubs, and all advertising materials will go pink in support of the cause.
A specialized “Pink Parade” video, featuring breast cancer survivors, Saint Francis employees and families, Southeast Missouri State University athletes and musicians, and other community members, will be posted online at www.sfmc.net and on YouTube and Facebook for everyone to view.
Other events in October are the Dig for Life Kickoff October 8, RENEW for Women October 20, Dig for Life Pink Out Night October 26 and the Saint Francis Auxiliary Pink Pumpkin Bake Sale October 29. Additional information on these events may be found at www.sfmc.net or by calling 573-331-5877.