WSH staff raise awareness and raise funds to fight breast cancer
Westside Surgical Hospital team participates in the Komen Houston Race for the Cure
If anyone on the Westside Surgical Hospital team needed motivation to keep going during the recent Komen Race for the Cure in Houston, all they had to do was take a look at the people walking alongside them. Many were former WSH patients and their families, literally taking steps that celebrated their survival over breast cancer. One was a fellow employee who had just received a breast cancer diagnosis.
“That really brought it all home to us,” says Mary Nan Whitmeyer, WSH administrator. “The employee chose to have her surgery the day after the Walk, because it was important to her to walk with the team.”
The Breast Center at WSH specializes in care for men and women diagnosed with breast cancer. A top-tier surgical team performs lumpectomy, mastectomy, stereotactic biopsy and breast reconstruction. Treating patients from diagnosis through surgery and recovery is the primary focus of the hospital. Strong bonds develop between staff and patients, so when the walk team was being formed, it was natural to ask former patients to join. On race day, more than half of the team was made up of former patients and their families.
“Having so many patients sign on to join our team made this a very special event,” says Mika Rao, director of public relations for the facility.
WSH was also the Medical Sponsor for the October 5 event, and staffers organized a number of additional fundraising drives. A silent auction; hot dogs and hamburgers for sale at Grilling for a Cause; and Jersey Day, when staffers donated money to wear a sports team jersey, all raised more than $3,000 in addition to more than $13,000 raised from walkers and $10,000 in sponsorship. That’s a total of $26,000 raised.
INVOLVED IN MANY EVENTS
The hospital was a strong presence in many events during Breast Cancer Aware-ness month in October. WSH patients appeared on the local Fox affiliate’s newscast to talk about their experiences. Dr. Camille Cash, who performs reconstructive and plastic surgery at WSH, was honored at the Pink Angel Luncheon benefiting the Sisters Network breast cancer assistance program, and WSH was a sponsor.
In November, the hospital was a sponsor at The Breast Health Summit and the U.S. Polo Association’s Women’s Open Championship Finals at Houston Polo Club, which raised breast cancer awareness at its event. WSH patients were invited to attend the match and Dr. Andrew Lyos, a plastic surgeon affiliated with the hospital’s breast center, delivered a brief speech for attendees.
“WSH’s participation in these events is part of its efforts to increase awareness of breast cancer prevention and recovery,” says Whitmeyer. “We look forward to continuing to grow our involvement next year.”