Page 9 - The Jewish Voice - September '21
P. 9

The Jewish Voice, Page 9

                                                                 LiFestyLes



      Guardianship Association                           Jewish Genetic Screening                             “Making cancer genetic testing accessible is key,” said

      Hosts Webinar, Annual                              Program Now Offers Test for                       Dr. Jane Lowe Meisel, associate professor of hematology and
                                                                                                           medical oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine
      Meeting                                            Cancer Risks                                      and medical director for JScreen’s cancer program. “This type of
                                                                                                           testing is important because it alerts people to their risks before
         Robin Phemister, NCG                            By Renee Ghert-Zand, JTA News                     they get cancer. They can then take action to help prevent cancer
      of Solutions by RPM, Inc.;                            After discovering a suspicious lump in her breast, Abby   altogether or to detect it at an early, treatable stage.”
      Pam  Wiener, director of                           Match was diagnosed last August with an aggressive form      If your mother or father has a BRCA mutation, you have a
      guardianship at Ferd &                             of breast cancer. She subsequently underwent a bilateral   50 percent chance of carrying it. After Match’s diagnosis, her
      Gladys Alpert Jewish Family                        mastectomy, hysterectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation.   family members underwent genetic screening and discovered
      Service; Penny Maitner,                               It was only after she discovered she was sick that Match,   that Match’s mother, Carla Rockmaker, 61, carries the same
      president of the Palm Beach                        35, learned she was a carrier of a mutation in her BRCA1 gene   BRCA1 mutation as her daughter and had passed it on to her.
      Guardianship Association;                          — associated with a significantly elevated risk for developing      “It was very distressing, to say the least,” Rockmaker said.
      and Attorney Lois B. Lepp                          breast cancer at a young age, and also for ovarian and other      Rockmaker, who lives in Sarasota, decided to undergo
      spoke to an audience of 160                        cancers. One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews have a BRCA mutation,   a preventive bilateral mastectomy and also encouraged her
      at the Florida State Guardianship Association Members   which is 10 times higher than in the general population.   fiancé to be screened. It turned out that he carries a BRCA2
      Webinar and Annual Meeting about the services that      Match, a speech pathologist living outside Philadelphia,   mutation. The couple plans to avoid excess sun exposure
      guardians provide to vulnerable adults.            wishes she had known about her genetic predisposition   and monitor their health closely, as BRCA-related cancers
         Lepp led the first session, addressing confidentiality,   beforehand. She could have — by getting genetic screening.   include pancreatic, prostate, and melanoma, in addition to
      guiding guardians on the information that must be shared, and   Had she known she was a BRCA carrier, she could have more   breast and ovarian cancer. Jews also are at higher risk of
      information that should not be shared, according to Florida   closely monitored herself for early signs and taken certain   carrying a mutation in the APC gene, increasing their risk
      statute(s) throughout the guardianship and to whom. The second   preventive steps.                   for colorectal cancer.
      session, a guardianship roundtable discussion with Maitner,      “Knowledge is power — it is important to know the risks      After completing a pilot project in Atlanta from July 2019 to
      Phemister, and Wiener, spoke to topics ranging from how to   ahead of time,” Match said. “It doesn’t mean that it will   June 2020 in which 500 people of Jewish background were tested
      implement recent legislative changes to management of assets.   happen, but knowing allows you to take actions to increase   for mutations in the BRCA genes, JScreen formally launched its
      The professionals, with varying backgrounds and experiences,   the chances to live a long, healthy life.”  60+ gene cancer screening test nationally in January.
      offered resources to address the challenges associated with the      Getting genetic screening for cancer risk is quite simple      “For the Atlanta pilot, none of the people tested had
      incarceration of wards and best practices regarding end-of-life   — and recently got easier, thanks to a national program   related cancers in close family members, but we still found
      decisions that honor wards’ wishes, as well as suggestions on   called JScreen that focuses on prevention of Jewish genetic   that there was a higher rate of BRCA mutations than in the
      how to provide safe spaces for family interaction.  diseases. A nonprofit project of the Emory University School of   non-Jewish population,” said JScreen executive director
         “We, as guardians, must respond to the requirements of the   Medicine’s Department of Human Genetics, JScreen provides   Karen Arnovitz Grinzaid. “We added the cancer panel to our
      court with regard to the person under guardianship, as well as   genetic screening tests for at-home use that can be completed   testing options because we want to impact the health of the
      being responsible for safeguarding the assets and income to   just by sending in a saliva sample using a mail-in kit.   Jewish community over the entire life span.”
      ensure the care of those under guardianship,” said Maitner. “It      JScreen has provided subsidized reproductive testing for       The subsidized cancer screening, which costs consumers
      is a privilege as well as a responsibility to provide the best care   genetic diseases, screening for conditions like Tay-Sachs   with insurance $199 (or $349 for those without insurance or
      and decisions for the most vulnerable among us.”   disease that could impact a couple’s future children. Now   who choose not to use it), requires a doctor’s order and is
         “I believe it is necessary in this profession to mentor, guide,   the organization also offers cancer genetic testing, including   available to anyone age 21 and above.
      and encourage one another,” said Phemister. “Sessions like this   a comprehensive panel of more than 60 cancer susceptibility      JScreen, which launched in 2013 with seed funding from
      offer insight on what has been done before to help guardians   genes associated with hereditary risks for breast, ovarian,   The Marcus Foundation, initially focused on reproductive
      navigate some extremely difficult situations and determine a   prostate, colorectal, skin, and many other cancers. Genetic   screening for people ages 18-45 to determine the risk for
      sensitive, practical solution. It was an honor for me to present   counselors discuss the results with users by phone or secure
      alongside my esteemed co-panelists.”               video-conference.                                 Lifestyles on page 10



                                                                                                           When it comes to healing your heart,
                                                                           A COMMUNITY BUILT ON TEAMWORK
                                Advanced Heart Care                                                        you need a cardiovascular team that
                                                                                                           is leading the way with some of the
                       Takes the Palm Beach Gardens                                                        Our innovative services include:
                                                                                                           most advanced, life-saving medical
                                                                                                           procedures and positive outcomes.
                                 Medical Center Team
    HEAL                                                                                                   • Minimally invasive heart valve surgery, performed

                                                                                                           •   1st hospital in PB County and the Treasure Coast
                                                                                                             to perform open heart surgery; nearly 19,000 open
                                                                                                             heart surgeries since 1983

                                                                                                             through a small incision between the ribs as
                                                                                                             opposed to through the breast bone, may offer
                                                                                                             less pain, and a faster return to work and activities
                                                                                                             than traditional open heart surgery

                                                                                                           • Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Labs
                                                                                                           • Premier Cardiovascular Physicians and
                                                                                                             Electrophysiologists

                                                                                                           • Valve Clinic
                                                                                                           • Minimally Invasive Treatment Options (MitraClip™,
                                                                                                             TAVR, Convergent, Watchman )
                                                                                                                                    TM
                                                                                                           • Vascular Surgery

                                                                                                           • Inpatient/Outpatient Cardiac and Pulmonary
                                                                                                             Rehabilitation
                                                                                                           • Nationally Recognized Programs for Outcomes
                                                                                                             and Quality
                                                                                                           • Participation in clinical research trials for some of
                                                                                                             the latest treatments available







                                                                                                            3360 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens | pbgmc.com
                                  Richard Faro, MD,
          Steven Kessel, MD,  Matthew Kolek, MD,  Cardiothoracic and   Denise Kvapil, Chief Nursing   Kim Pacewicz, RN, MHA, OCN,  Sara Chambers, RN, BSN  David Steinberg, RDCS
            Cardiologist  Electrophysiologist  Vascular Surgeon  and Operations Officer  Admin Director Patient Care


                         To find a Heart Specialist, please call 877-346-1842
                                        or visit pbgmc.com/cardiac.                                                            BEST HEART CENTER
   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14