The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office will once again participate in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative.
Sheriff Randall Bower is pleased to announce that the Sheriff’s Office will again participate in this nationwide undertaking, which takes place on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
This is a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of Justice – Drug Enforcement Administration, the Orleans County Health Department, and the Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism & Substance Abuse (GCASA).
This initiative will allow the public to safely dispose of unused prescription medication, sharps and pet medications. The goal of this event is to provide a safe disposal method that will prevent the contamination of the water supply and most importantly decrease the likelihood of theft and abuse of prescription medications.
Upon completion of this event all collected medication will be destroyed in the presence of law enforcement officers at a designated incineration facility.
This is a great opportunity for the public to surrender unwanted and/or expired medications for safe and proper disposal. Events such as these have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, as well as increasing awareness of this critical public health issue.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Jail Superintendent Scott Wilson at 585-589-4310.
Collection locations on Saturday include:
• Orleans County Public Safety Building, 13925 State Route 31, Albion
• Holley Fire Department, 7 Thomas Street, Holley
• Kendall Fire Department, 1879 Kendall Rd., Kendall
• Lyndonville Fire Department, 148 N. Main Street, Lyndonville
• Medina Fire Department, 600 Main Street, Medina
Special thanks to the Holley, Medina, Lyndonville and Kendall fire departments for providing space in their facilities for this event.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 April 2017 at 5:12 pm
Wayne Burlison continues to inspire community
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Lisa Burlison, wife of the late Wayne Burlison, welcomes runners and other participants in the third annual Run for Wayne today. She is joined by the couple’s son, Adam, and family friend Marsha Rivers and the Rev. Randy LeBaron, pastor of the Albion Free Methodist Church.
Rivers encouraged Burlison to sign up for his first race. He went on the run marathons and help start the Albion Running Club.
Burlison died at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.
Adam Burlison gets ready to cut the string holding the balloons. Mark Moore, the race director, is at right.
The race started at 12:01 p.m. on Clarendon Road by the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School, where Mr. Burlison was a band teacher.
“Run for Wayne” started at 12:01 in recognition of Hebrews 12:1 as one of Burlison’s favorite Bible verses. The verse states: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
There where about 75 runners and walkers in the race today. Proceeds are being used towards a second memorial scholarship in Burlison’s memory, as well as to help develop a running/walking trail at Bullard Park.
Mary Martin, left, finishes the race with her friend Sarah Meister. Martin, 21, was one of Burlison’s students.
“He taught me how to play the jazz drums and got me into running,” Martin said.
Ed Russell, 75, of East Amherst is close to the finish line. Russell ran a 5K in the morning in Williamsville, “Run Forest Run!”
Last year Russell ran 185 races. He wants to run at least 100 this year.
Evan Steier of Albion had the fastest time overall in the Run for Wayne at 19:12. Lindon Morici of Albion was the fastest woman at 20:17 for the 3.17-mile course, which is slightly longer than a 5K. The 3.17-mile course represents the 3 months and 17 days that Burlison lived his diagnosis of Stage 4 colon cancer.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 April 2017 at 8:57 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: A green house next to the former Off-Track Betting parlor in Albion was knocked down on Monday. The house is at 321 West Avenue.
ALBION – Oak Orchard Health is taking a step forward with its plans to expand in Albion. The healthcare provider on Monday knocked down a house at 321 West Ave. Oak Orchard, which owns a healthcare center next door, acquired the OTB site and the house last year.
Oak Orchard is planning an expansion in Albion, and is working to secure funding for the project, said Jim Cummings, Oak Orchard CEO.
Oak Orchard Health would like to expand healthcare services in Orleans County, including dental and possibly vision and behavioral health, after acquiring the sites on Route 31 in Albion.
For now, Oak Orchard will have the debris from the house removed, and then will have the site backfilled and seeded, Cummings said.
The former OTB site will be used for Oak Orchard’s maintenance shop and for storage.
“We are presently working with our architect to design the combined expansion and renovation project that we hope to develop,” Cummings said. “As with most significant projects of this type we are also working to develop funding and the timing of the project will obviously be tied to the acquisition of this funding.”
Here is how the house looked last October. The former OTB parlor is in back.
Oak Orchard is a Federally Qualified Health Center. The organization celebrated its 50th anniversary in the community last year. Oak Orchard was originally founded by the University of Rochester in 1966 to provide health care for migrant farmworkers. Oak Orchard has expanded to an integrated health center with services for all community members. Oak Orchard has sites in Albion, Lyndonville, Brockport, Warsaw and Hornell, as well as a mobile dental unit.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 April 2017 at 10:20 am
MEDINA – The lobby at Medina Memorial Hospital is getting its first overhaul since the early 1990s.
The front desk is now enclosed and has been moved down the hall to be closer to a new entrance near the emergency room.
Some of the hospital’s maintenance staff is pictured by the lobby, including from right to left: Doug Fuller, maintenance mechanic; Tim Bisher, maintenance mechanic; Joe Barnes, maintenance helper; and Tyler Fuller, maintenance helper. Jim Buckman, not pictured, is head of the group.
The hospital’s maintenance crew put up the new wall with framing, drywall, steel studs and electrical.
Anthony Drisdom, supervisor of registration and also a financial counselor, takes a call at the switchboard. Drisdom used to have an office away from the lobby, but now he is upfront to meet with patients in his role as a financial counselor.
The hospital received a $272,000 grant for the lobby renovations, which are ongoing.
Additional work includes the new entrance, which will be at the left side of the taped off area. The current entrance will remain open during the day, but will be closed at night with patients using the new entrance by the ER. Paul Lamparelli of Cheektowaga is the contractor for that project.
Takeform Architectural Graphics will be adding graphics and signage.
Cindy Perry, director of Outreach, Education and Marketing for Community Partners for Orleans Community Health, stands in the lobby, where the hospital will remove the carpet and replace it with tiled flooring. The lobby will also be getting new countertops.
The changes in the lobby will improve security, streamline the registration process, and create a more positive and calming experience for ER patients, Perry said.
ALBANY – Members of the New York State Senate’s task force on heroin and opioid addiction applauded the actions of United States Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and John McCain (R-NY) on the introduction of legislation that would limit initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain to seven days.
This legislation, which was passed and signed into law in New York State in 2016, derived from the Senate’s task force hearings over the course of the previous two years.
State Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) is a member of the task force in the State Senate for heroin and opioid addiction. Ortt and State Senators George Amedore, Terrence Murphy and Fred Akshar issued the following statement:
“We applaud the bipartisan actions of Senator Gillibrand and Senator McCain. The New York State Senate has been, and remains, leading the effort to curb the devastating scourge the heroin epidemic has caused in nearly every community within the Empire State. The seven-day limit of opioid prescriptions for acute pain was a cornerstone piece of legislation passed into law last year.
“We offer our strong support and partnership to help advance this important initiative on the federal level. When it comes to helping our most vulnerable neighbors who are battling the disease of addiction, we cannot allow partisan politics to prevent the passage of common sense policy that will ultimately save lives.”
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) today announced bipartisan legislation to combat opioid addiction by limiting the supply of an initial opioid prescription for acute pain to seven days.
Many individuals become addicted to opioids after taking prescriptions for acute pain, such as a broken bone or wisdom tooth extraction. This federal legislation is modeled after laws in several states, including New York and Arizona.
“Our bipartisan bill would target one of the root causes of the opioid addiction crisis, which is the over-prescription of these powerful and addictive drugs for acute pain,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Too many lives have been destroyed, too many families have been torn apart, and too many communities all over New York are suffering because of this tragic epidemic. I am proud to join with Senator McCain in this urgent fight against the over-prescription of opioids, and I look forward to seeing it pass through the Senate as quickly as possible.”
“One of the main causes for the alarming increase in drug overdoses in the United States is the over-prescription of highly addictive opioids, which have increased by 300 percent over the last 15 years,” said Senator McCain.
Under current federal law, a medical professional must receive a license from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in order to be allowed to prescribe a schedule II, III, or IV controlled substance in the United States. This registration must be renewed every three years. This legislation would require medical professionals to certify, as part of their DEA registration, that they will not prescribe an opioid as an initial treatment for acute pain in an amount that exceeds a seven-day supply, and may not provide a refill.
This limit does not apply to the treatment of chronic pain, pain being treated as part of cancer care, hospice or other end of life care, or pain treated as part of palliative care.
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator/Public Information Officer for Orleans County Public Health
National Public Health Week was celebrated last week. It is an opportunity to raise awareness about what Public Health is and what it can do to help us become the healthiest nation.
Americans are living 20 years longer than their grandparents’ generation, largely thanks to the work of public health. However, studies have shown people in other high-income countries are living longer and suffer fewer health issues than we do. We in public health are working toward overcoming challenge.
To address this challenge, the American Public Health Association created Generation Public Health to meet the goal of making the United States the Healthiest Nation in One Generation – by 2030. This is an opportunity for Public Health to encourage communities to make healthier choices in what we eat and do, as well as look at what impacts our health where we live, work and play. Together, we can be the generation that changes the course of health in America!
“The local Health Departments work diligently with community organizations, the New York State Health Department and our community partners to provide quality services and encourage residents to be pro-active in their health,” stated Paul Pettit, Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.
Changing our health means ensuring conditions where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy. We all have a role to play…where do you fit in?
• Build a nation of safe, healthy communities – support farmers markets and local businesses, especially those that value health, such as retailers that don’t sell tobacco.
• Help all young people graduate from high school – education is the leading indicator of good health, giving people access to better jobs, incomes and neighborhoods.
• Increase economic mobility.
• Achieve social justice and health equality.
• Give everyone a choice of safe, healthy food.
• Prepare for the health effects of climate change.
• Make the healthy choice the easy choice – avoid using tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Eat healthy foods and increase your physical activity.
• Provide quality health care for everyone.
• Strengthen public health infrastructure and capacity.
Take time to talk with your family on how you can make healthier choices. Encourage one another and your local leaders to take the right steps to better health.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Kenny Capurso gave his father Al Capurso CPR on March 23 after he suffered a heart attack at home in Gaines. Al Capurso gave his son “Lifesavers” candy for his life-saving actions.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 April 2017 at 10:55 am
‘I’m eternally grateful for what Kenny did – that he knew what to do and did it.’ Al Capurso speaking of his son
GAINES – Al Capurso called out this son at about 10:10 in the morning on March 23. Capurso was upstairs. Kenny, 18, was down the hall in his room.
He rushed to to see his father, who was having a heart attack. Mr. Capurso, 64, gasped for air, and then was unconscious. His eyes were closed and he wasn’t breathing. He appeared paralyzed.
Kenny quickly called 911 and a dispatcher gave him CPR instructions: two quick breaths and 30 compressions.
Kenny also remembered the basics from health class in middle school. He moved his father to the floor, gave him two quick breaths and then 30 compressions.
After two cycles, his father started breathing again with shallow breaths. But that stopped and Kenny resumed CPR.
He did CPR for about 5 minutes until paramedics arrived from the Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance. COVA medics would shock Capurso three times with a defibrillator in the house. The medics and volunteer firefighters transported him from upstairs, down a narrow staircase, and to the ambulance, where he was shocked twice more.
Capurso was stabilized at Medina Memorial Hospital, and then flown by Mercy Flight to Rochester General Hospital, where he had heart surgery. (He now has a pacemaker and defibrillator.)
He spent eight days in the hospital and has been home for about week, already back to planning projects in his role as Gaines town historian.
Capurso is a retired social worker who ran the Bait Barn, a tackle shop by his home on Route 279 for more than 20 years. He is well known locally, active in the Democratic Party. He sings and plays his guitar at many local events.
“I’m eternally grateful for what Kenny did – that he knew what to do and did it,” Capurso said at his home on Friday.
Kenny works at Tractor Supply in Medina, starting his shift at 3 p.m. On March 23, he and his father were planning a late breakfast of French toast, hash browns and sausage.
Kenny remembers his father calling out his name: “Kenny.”
The son went to check on his father. He called 911 and was able to quickly start CPR.
He made sure his father’s mouth was clear. Mr. Capurso had heart surgery two years ago. He suffered a broken sternum and five broken ribs from the CPR. That is still tender.
Capurso has no memory of the heart attack and the life-saving efforts afterward. He didn’t have a heart attack due to blockage. The bottom of his heart was quivering, and not not beating. There was a potassium imbalance.
Al Capurso sings and plays his guitar in the fellowship hall at Christ Church on Oct. 24, 2015. He performs at many local community events.
It took about five days after the heart attack until Capurso was alert in the hospital. He requested his guitar. The first song he played and sang was Kenny’s favorite: “The Cat’s in the Cradle,” a folk rock song.
Al on March 31 posted a message on Facebook: “I’m home in the warm hold of my loving family. So grateful to God for this chance.”
Kenny called the middle school on Friday and spoke with Principal Dan Monacelli. Kenny told the principal his middle school health class, led by teacher Pat Uveino, included CPR. Kenny used that knowledge on March 23, allowing him to save his father’s life.
The family also wants to thank the dispatcher that morning, the COVA medics, and volunteer firefighters. Capurso was at Medina Memorial Hospital for two hours. The doctor and staff there had him stabilized so he could fly by Mercy Flight. The staff also determined he would need the higher-level care at Rochester General.
“We want to say thank you to all of the first responders, and the doctors and nurses that worked on him,” Kenny said.
Capurso and his wife Chris have four children, and seven grandchildren.
“It’s the proudest moment of my life,” Kenny said. “I saved my father’s life. My mother, brother and sisters can talk to him again.”
Kenny said his parents have long instilled the importance of community service in their children. Kenny said he wants to pursue a career as a paramedic.
The family also wants to encourage others to know CPR.
“CPR is everyone’s job,” said Chris Capurso. “Everyone should know it.”
Al Capurso is pictured on Oct. 17, 2015 when a new historical marker that was unveiled by a former one-room schoolhouse on Gaines Basin Road, just north of the Erie Canal. The schoolhouse was built in 1832 and is one of the oldest cobblestone buildings in the area.
Mr. Capurso is back to working on local historical and heritage projects. He was instrumental in saving a former cobblestone school house on Gaines Basin Road.
Capurso sent an email on Thursday to members of the Orleans County Historical Association, notifying them the schoolhouse has qualified to be listed on the New York State and National Registry of Historic Places. Capurso is president of the OCHA.
He wants a flag pole at the site, a marker on the building noting it’s on the state and national registers, a new front door and new paint on the trim. Boy Scouts are helping with some of those projects. Capurso is working towards a July dedication of the flagpole. He also wants a bench out in front of the school in memory of Woody baker, the past OCHA president who supported the schoolhouse’s preservation efforts.
He also is working to have the bell tower refurbished at the cobblestone schoolhouse on Route 104 that is part of the Cobblestone Museum. Capurso is planning an Aug. 19 event of the bell’s dedication in honor of William Babbitt, who was superintendent of the construction of the school in 1849. Babbitt donated the bell to the school in 1849. Some of his descendants are expected to attend the August dedication of the restored bell tower.
Capurso’s wife, Chris, said her husband is dedicated to his local projects.
“He’s back to going 100 miles an hour,” his wife said.
Mr. Capurso said the projects don’t feel like work.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 April 2017 at 9:48 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: David Callard, chairman of the Orleans County Legislature, checks a shot with a dose of Narcan, which can help block the effects of opioids and reverse an overdose. Callard received training on Narcan from GCASA, including Tracy Zakes, a prevention educator in back.
ALBION – Three Orleans County legislators received training in Narcan on Thursday.
Narcan is a prescription medicine that blocks the effects of opioids and reverses an overdose.
The Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse has provided training to about 200 community members in the past two years in administering Narcan. GCASA has trained school nurses, probation officers, GCASA staff and family members of GCASA patients.
Three county legislators – David Callard of Medina, Fred Miller of Albion, and Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville – took the training on Thursday.
“I wanted to set an example with the county staff and public that this is important,” Callard said.
The county, region, state and country are experiencing surges in opioid addictions, overdoses and deaths, said Diana Fulcomer, GCASA prevention educator.
The death rates from accidental overdoses have increased more than 600 percent in the last 10 years in the U.S. from prescription drugs. Accidental overdose deaths increased close to 500 percent in Erie County last year.
A child who ingests an adult opiate painkiller prescription, an elderly person who forgets and takes too much of their opiate painkiller medication and a loved one who struggles with opiate/heroin addiction are a few examples of situations that can lead to an accidental overdose, GCASA said.
Commonly used opioids include heroin, codeine, Demerol, morphine, Darvocet, fentanyl, Dilaudid, methadone, opium, hydrocodone, oxycodone, Levorphanol, Vicodin, OxyContin, Tylenol 3, Tylox, Percocet and Percodan, according to GCASA prevention educators.
The GCASA educators said opioid addiction often starts with prescription pain killer abuse.
Diana Fulcomer (left), a prevention educator with GCASA, advises county legislators on how to administer a shot of Narcan. The legislators include, from left: Fred Miller, David Callard and Lynne Johnson.
GCASA (using information from the state Office of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services) said there are are four steps in administering Narcan (Naloxone):
Step 1: Recognize an overdose – A person is unconscious, breathing very slowly, turning blue and not responding when his/her name is yelled or when rubbing knuckles on breastbone.
Step 2: Call 911 – Give address/location, and report your friend or loved one is unconscious or isn’t breathing.
Step 3: If person not breathing, give rescue breaths – Tilt head back, lift chin, pinch nose and then give two quick breaths, then a breath every 5 seconds.
Step 4: Give Narcan – Inject into upper arm or thigh muscle; Repeat after 3-5 minutes if person not waking up; Remind person not to use more drugs; Stay with person until EMS arrives; Place in recover position.
For more information about Narcan and the training to administer, call Sherri Bensley at GCASA in Albion at (585) 589-0055.
The legislators, as part of the training, injected the shot into an orange.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a Request for Proposals for the availability of up to $4.7 million in annual funding for statewide problem gambling outreach, education and treatment services.
The RFP includes the development and oversight of seven Problem Gambling Resource Centers across the state. The initiative will be funded in part through a $500 annual license fee charged to casinos operating in New York State, for each gambling table and slot machine at their facilities. The RFP is available at oasas.ny.gov. Responses are due June 8, 2017.
The Governor also issued a proclamation recognizing March 30, 2017 as Problem Gambling Awareness Day in New York State.
“This funding will help educate the public on gambling addiction and help ensure those in need of help receive access to the resources and treatment they need,” Cuomo said. “We are giving New Yorkers in every part of the state the recovery-focused support they need to make their recovery possible, and bringing us another step closer to a stronger and healthier New York for all.”
The new Problem Gambling Resource Centers will serve as the hub for coordinating referrals for problem gambling services in their region. They will also coordinate with local gambling facilities to ensure information and referrals are available if needed.
“This funding will allow us to educate the public, improve access to treatment and continue to provide much needed services for those who are affected by problem gambling,” said New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. “As with other addictions, problem gambling has serious consequences for individuals, as well as their friends, loved ones and communities.”
Under the terms of the 2013 law legalizing casino gambling in New York State, new casinos are required to deposit a $500 annual license fee into the Commercial Gaming Revenue Fund, for every slot machine and gambling table they operate. The law requires that the funds are to be used exclusively for problem gambling education and treatment purposes.
In an effort to increase access to problem gambling services throughout the State, the $4.7 million in funding will be available as a direct five-year contract with OASAS. Specifically, $1.4 million will be for outreach, education, awareness and training, and $3.3 million for the seven regional Problem Gambling Resource Centers. No capital funds are available through this RFP.
The organization that is awarded a contract under the initiative will have the opportunity to:
Develop statewide public education and awareness information related to problem gambling;
Serve as the statewide center for problem gambling resources and information;
Provide training, technical assistance and community partnerships; and
Develop, implement and oversee seven regional Problem Gambling Resource Centers, to ensure access to culturally relevant problem gambling services in all regions throughout the State, while also building collaborative relationships with local gambling facilities.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 March 2017 at 6:47 pm
File photo by Tom Rivers: Orchard Manor, a 160-bed nursing home in Medina, would face $1.4 million annually in reduced funding if the Affordable Care Act is repealed with a Trump healthcare plan, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s data.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has continued to speak out against the push to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with a plan backed by President Trump and Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House. (That vote was scheduled for today but pushed back until Friday to give Ryan and Trump more time to secure Republican votes.)
Cuomo detailed said the repeal and replacement would have devastating cuts to nursing homes. An analysis from the State Department of Health counted $35.7 million in cuts to nursing homes in the 27th Congressional District represented by Chris Collins, a vocal advocate for the new health care plan.
There are two nursing homes in Orleans County and combined would see about $2.5 million in reduced funding with the Trump health care plan, according to Cuomo.
Those cuts include $1,421,129 to the 160-bed Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina, and $1,151,265 to the 120-bed Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion.
Cuomo said the funding reductions would jeopardize nursing homes’ ability to provide critical services for seniors, hurting New York’s most vulnerable citizens and jeopardizing hundreds of jobs across the district.
“This reckless legislation slashes funding from nursing homes and facilities that provide care to seniors, jeopardizing the lives of our most vulnerable New Yorkers,” Cuomo said. “These devastating cuts will cripple health care services in communities across New York, with $35.7 million in cuts to nursing homes in the 27th District alone. I urge New Yorkers to call their member of Congress and demand that they vote ‘no’ on this unconscionable legislation.”
Provided photo: Wendy Jacobson (left), CEO and president of Orleans Community Health, and Joanna Miller, administrator of the OCH healthcare site in Albion, are pictured with a pledge to increase colorectal screenings in Orleans County.
Press Release, Orleans Community Health
Orleans Community Health is joining forces with over 500 local and national organizations to increase colorectal cancer screenings rates across the country.
The “80% by 2018” is a shared goal to have 80 percent of adults aged 50 and older regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
Colorectal cancer screening has been proven to save lives. Orleans Community Health today announced that it has made the pledge to help increase colorectal cancer screening rates by supporting the 80% by 2018 initiative, led by the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (an organization co-founded by ACS and CDC).
Colorectal cancer is the nation’s second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. However, it is one of only a few cancers that can be prevented. Through proper colorectal cancer screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths (called “polyps”) in the colon, before they become cancerous. Removing polyps can prevent cancer altogether.
“80% by 2018” is a National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT) initiative in which over 500 organizations have committed to substantially reducing colorectal cancer as a major public health problem and are working toward the shared goal of 80% of adults aged 50 and older being regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018.
“Colorectal cancer is a major public health problem, and adults age 50 and older should be regularly screened for it, but we have found that many people aren’t getting tested because they don’t believe they are at risk, don’t understand that there are testing options or don’t think they can afford it,” said Dr. Mary Rykert-Wolf of the Albion Health Center. “The truth is that the vast majority of cases of colorectal cancer occur in people age 50 and older. Colorectal cancer in its early stages usually has no symptoms, so everyone 50 and older should get tested.”
There are several screening options – even take home options – available. Plus, many public and private insurance plans cover colorectal cancer screening and there may be local resources available to help those that are uninsured.
“Getting screened is much easier and more affordable than getting treated,” Rykert-Wolf said. “Only 25% of those diagnosed with colon cancer have a family history, the rest just appear. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
While colorectal cancer incidence rates have dropped 30 percent in the U.S. over the last 10 years among adults 50 and older, it is still the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S, despite being highly preventable, detectable and treatable. In fact, in 2015 in the U.S., 132,700 cases of colorectal cancer were diagnosed.
Part of the 80% by 2018 goal is to leverage the energy of multiple and diverse partners to empower communities, patients, providers to increase screening rates. The 80% by 2018 initiative consists of health care providers, health systems, communities, businesses, community health centers, government, non-profit organizations and patient advocacy groups who are committed to getting more people screened for colorectal cancer to prevent more cancers and save lives.
“We are thrilled to join the cause to improve colorectal cancer screening rates,” said Wendy Jacobson, CEO/Orleans Community Health. “We are asking all members of our community to come together and help us by getting screened and talking to your friends and family who are over 50 years of age about getting screened. Together, we can help to eliminate colorectal cancer as a major public health problem.”
For more information or to learn about resources in your area, visit: www.orleanscommunityhealth.org or call the Cancer Services Program of Genesee and Orleans Counties at 585-344-5497.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that health insurers are required under New York Insurance Law to provide medically necessary coverage for 3-D mammograms without co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles.
3-D mammography screening, or tomosynthesis, can be more effective at detecting cancer in dense breast tissue, which is more common in women of color. This action builds on actions the Governor took earlier this year to support the health and reproductive rights of New York women, and legislation he signed last year to enhance access to breast cancer screenings.
“We are undertaking the most aggressive action in the nation to expand access to breast cancer screenings, because early detection is the best possible treatment,” Cuomo said. “By expanding access to cutting-edge, life-saving breast cancer screening options, like 3D mammograms, we are taking our efforts to protect our mothers, sisters and daughters another step further. We will continue working to further remove barriers to breast cancer detection and treatment to create a stronger, healthier New York for all.”
Tomosynthesis, or 3-D mammography, uses X-rays to collect multiple images of the breast from several angles that a computer synthesizes to create a 3-D image of the breast. Studies have shown that breast density is one of the strongest predictors of risk for breast cancer and that the risk of cancer for women with dense breast tissue, many of whom are women of color, is much greater.
In particular, Black women tend to have denser breast tissue, which limits the sensitivity of a screening mammography, thus requiring improved screening technologies such as early detection and screening by appropriate methods. Studies have shown that 3-D mammography appears to be more effective at detecting lesions in dense breast tissue than 2-D mammography.
Even though screening mammography rates for Black and White women are about the same, Black women’s cancers are detected later, in part due to access issues such as affordability, and they are more likely to die from breast cancer than White women. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among Black women and the second leading cause of death for Black women.
Linda Goler Blount, President and CEO of the Black Women’s Health Imperative, said, “I thank Governor Cuomo for his work in ensuring that all women, regardless of race or income, have unrestricted access to the care they need to live long, healthy lives. It is a bold step for a state to require insurers to cover 3-D mammography with no cost-sharing. The fact that Black women now have access to 3-D mammography means there is a much greater chance they will get their difficult-to-detect cancers detected much earlier.”
The actions announced today continue a series of actions led by Cuomo to support women’s health and reproductive rights, including increasing access to breast cancer screenings and health insurance coverage in groundbreaking legislation that went into effect January 1, 2017; ensuring that all medically necessary abortion services are covered by health insurance policies without cost sharing; and ensuring that all women are covered by health insurance policies for contraceptives in amounts up to 12 month’s supply at a time without cost-sharing.
Legislation signed by Governor Cuomo in 2016, and now in effect, increases access to breast cancer screenings and health insurance coverage and built upon $91 million in investments to increase awareness and screening for breast cancer, including a public awareness campaign, community outreach programs, patient navigators, and mobile mammography vans.
MEDINA – Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and opioid addiction is the driving force behind this issue.
Death rates from accidental overdoses have increased more than 600 percent in the last 10 years in the U.S. from prescription drugs and accidental overdose deaths have increased close to 500 percent in Erie County in one year.
If you were in the presence of an opioid-related emergency, would you know what to do? On Monday, March 20, Horizon Health Services will host free Narcan Training at the GCC Medina Campus Center from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
A child who ingests an adult opiate painkiller prescription, an elderly person who forgets and takes too much of their opiate painkiller medication and a loved one who struggles with opiate/heroin addiction are a few examples of situations that can lead to an accidental overdose. Attendees of the training will learn how to recognize and respond to an opiate overdose, who may be at risk, and how to administer Narcan, a prescription medicine that blocks the effects of opioids and reverses an overdose.
Seats for the Narcan training will be limited and those interested in attending should call 585-798-1688 for reservations. Horizon Health Services Parent & Family Support Coordinator Colleen Babcock will lead the training.
Campus center also hosting exhibit from the Indian Arts Project
GCC Medina also has on display 20 photos/prints from the Indian Arts Project, which was recently housed at the Rosalie “Roz” Steiner Art Gallery at the GCC Batavia Campus Center.
Before his death in 1955, Rochester Museum Director Arthur C. Parker created the Indian Arts Project to help his Seneca relatives and friends with federal funds from the Works Progress Administration. The program employed people of Tonawanda and Cattaraugus Reservations to recreate the objects of their everyday lives, building a collection for the Museum.
The display, which will be shown through the end of March, includes work from Freeman C. Johnson, a former member of the Tonawanda Band of Senecas and Wahbee tribe. He was involved in numerous community activities before he was killed in an automobile accident in 1969, and frequently gave speeches and wrote letters about legislation concerning the Native American. Johnson was instrumental in preserving Gannagaro, an historic sixteenth century Seneca Village, located in what is now Victor, New York.
The Medina Campus Center is located at 11470 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina, NY 14103. For more information, contact the Medina Campus Center at (585) 798-1688.
ALBION – A $10,000 grant from the Lyndonville Area Foundation will be instrumental in growing an important program available to all Orleans County residents who are facing serious illness.
The Supportive Care program offered as part of Hospice of Orleans, Inc.’s continuum of care is open to all residents, and the service does not require a prognosis of 6 months or less.
“Community members aren’t always aware that Hospice of Orleans, Inc. offers assistance to people who do not want to give up curative treatments,” said Kellie Spychalski, CEO of Hospice of Orleans. “Our Supportive Care program provides patients assistance with options for pain management, case management, and support while facing illnesses and treatments that are so often confusing and overwhelming to those dealing with them. We are here to help during some of the most challenging times a family faces. The Lyndonville Area Foundation’s generous gift is a tremendous help to us as we continue to grow this important service.”
Hospice Supportive Care staff provide unparalleled levels of support to patients and the caregiver(s) within our community. Along with regular RN and social work visits, patients and their caregivers have access to trained volunteers, spiritual support, education, and when appropriate, aide services.
Supportive Care services continue to grow, and some health insurance carriers provide coverage for this service, and for others, the services are provided at no cost to the patient and/or family members thanks to generous contributors like the Lyndonville Area Foundation.
“Too many people fall through the cracks,” said Brittany Dix, Development Manager for Hospice of Orleans. “Some folks are facing very serious circumstances but aren’t yet able to receive the benefits of Hospice because of a prognosis that is longer than 6 months. However, these people still need great care, and their caregivers still need to be able to be supported while providing it. That is what Supportive Care is all about, and we are thrilled that the Lyndonville Area Foundation recognizes the significance of a program like this to so many in our community. We are excited for the opportunity to serve any and all of our neighbors that would benefit from Supportive Care. We are confident that the relief that this program provides will continue to be seen by those that need it most.”
For further information and access to Supportive Care Services or any of the many services Hospice of Orleans, Inc. offers, please call (585) 589-0809.
