Breast cancer survivor Ellen Crane, director of public affairs for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, works with Steven Squadrilli of the Boca YMCA fitness staff. Photo provided
A new program at the YMCA of South Palm Beach County helps people affected by cancer reach their holistic health goals. It’s called Livestrong and it’s a free activity available from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton. A second class will launch at the DeVos-Blum Family YMCA in Boynton Beach in January.
Participants are not required to be members of the YMCA.
“Research shows exercise is the simplest way for cancer survivors to reduce fatigue, improve their mood and bounce back from the debilitating effects of cancer treatment more quickly,” said Greg Lee, president and CEO of the Livestrong Foundation. “But there weren’t enough programs to help people affected by cancer reach their health and well-being goals, so Livestrong and the Y joined forces to create Livestrong at the YMCA.”
As part of the program, cancer survivors work with trained staff to build muscle mass and strength and to improve flexibility, endurance and functional ability. The program also focuses on the emotional well-being of survivors by providing a supportive community environment.
Locally, Boca Raton-based Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a national network of facilities, is a supporter of the YMCA and participating funder of the YMCA Livestrong classes.
For more information, call Robin Nierman at 300-3227 or email him at rnierman@ymcaspbc.org.
Kerry-Ann McDonald, M.D., has been appointed to the medical staff of the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and BocaCare Physician Network. A specialist in benign and malignant breast disease, she is a board-eligible breast surgeon. She received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, N.Y. She then completed her general surgical residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania, followed by a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.
Last month, Boca Raton Regional Hospital Urgent Care Centers received Certified Urgent Care Category 1 designation by the Urgent Care Association of America. The designation was awarded for meeting or exceeding the association’s guidelines in patient-care processes, facility management, and scope of care, record management, quality, technology and human resources.
The Boca Raton care centers offer both basic services as well as serve as an immediate gateway to care at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Centers are at 3313 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Suite 100 in Deerfield Beach and 10 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. Both are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital again received a three-year accreditation from the Commission on Cancer, a program of the American College of Surgeons. The commission evaluates cancer-care programs on their commitment to provide comprehensive, high-quality and multidisciplinary patient-centered care.
In addition to the accreditation, the institute received five high commendations for standards of clinical research accrual, public reporting of outcomes, College of American Pathologists protocols and clinical documentation, oncology nursing care and data submission accuracy.
The Parkinson’s Foundation will host a fundraiser, Bagels & Schmears, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 8. Bagels will be offered along with a lecture on speech and swallowing as well as the benefits of group exercise to complement therapies.
The event will be at Temple Beth El, 333 SW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Ticket price is $18. The event will honor the temple’s Rabbi Emeritus Merle Singer, who has Parkinson’s disease and is an ambassador for the Parkinson’s Foundation.
For information and to RSVP, call Robin Miller at 962-1702 or email her at RMiller@parkinson.org.
Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com
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