During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, OCH recognizes staff in radiology department

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Erica Chutko, director of radiology at Orleans Community Health, and X-ray technician Stephanie Aquilina stand next to the hospital’s mammography machine. They are promoting breast cancer awareness during October. (Right) X-ray technician Stephanie Aquilina holds two pink stones promoting breast cancer, which were painted by a local resident and donated to Medina Memorial Hospital to give to patients. 

MEDINA – With October being celebrated across the nation as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Orleans Community Health is taking advantage of the time to recognize the dedicated staff in their radiology department and to promote mammography and breast cancer awareness.

Erica Chutko, director of radiology, has been employed at Medina Memorial Hospital for 30 years. She started as a student technician and has now been director for more than 10 years.

X-ray technician Stephanie Aquilina has been there 20 years, more than 14 of them in radiology.

Chutko said their state-of-the-art mammography machine installed three years ago has made a big difference in catching early signs of breast cancer, with its 3-D capability.

“Since we have been using that technology, the numbers of women getting a mammography have been going up, and the numbers always go up in October,” she said.

She said the X-ray department never closes.

“We are always here for our patients,” Chutko said.

She added there is no age limit to stop having a mammogram.

Chutko and Aquilina pointed out pink wreaths on the wall, a bouquet of pink flowers and stones with breast cancer themes, painted pink by a local woman who is a former patient.

“Each year she came in for a mammogram, she brought me a painted rock,” Chutko said. “Now she brings in a whole bag full. She hides them all over the county, urging people who find them to go hide them somewhere else. This is her way of promoting breast cancer awareness.”

Women who have no insurance or are underinsured are reminded a mammogram can be free, through Cancer Services of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. That is where funds from the For Women Only event go, said Scott Robinson, director of market, communication and outreach at Orleans Community Health.

OCH makes a practice of recognizing its dedicated employees in all its departments.

Recently, the hospital celebrated its housekeeping staff during Environmental Services Week, a national week which honors workers in the housekeeping departments who keep their facilities clean and safe for patients, staff and visitors.

“These people keep our rooms and buildings sanitary and we want to make sure people realize, internally and externally, they are unsung heroes,” Robinson said. “They are the one department which truly sees every single aspect of our buildings. They are everywhere.”

This also includes Orleans Community Health’s for other locations – Albion’s walk-in clinic, the Middleport lab and dialysis centers in Medina and Batavia.

Sue Birch is director of the Environmental Services staff of 17. The employees are trained in different areas, so if one is sick, someone else can fill in, Birch said.

Ed Schutt has been on the job for 28 years and loves his work.

“I was working in Brockport and wanted a job closer to home, so I put my name in here and they hired me,” he said.

His duties are to collect waste and linens. He also sweeps the parking lot and does anything that’s needed, Birch said.

Like the X-ray Department, Birch said their Housekeeping Department is very family oriented.

Kay Ward’s duties are to clean patient rooms, dining areas and nurses’ stations. Like Brenda Potter, who cleans the emergency room, she loves her job.