Breathe Easy - John T. Mather Memorial Hospital

Mather Hospital’s
A publication of John T. Mather Memorial Hospital Winter 2011
Infusion Therapy
New Center Off ers More Capacity,
Better Access, Additional Programs
page 4
Breathe Easy
Keep Your Lungs Healthy
page 2
Bariatric Surgery
Center of Excellence
Designation Renewed
page 6

Breathe Easy – Keep your lungs healthy
Ask any pulmonologist about the
things that most adversely affect
lung health, and you’ll likely get the
same answer:
“The number one risk factor
is smoking. If you smoke you’re at risk for many
different lung diseases, not to mention also harming
almost every organ in your body,” said Daniel
Baram, MD, a pulmonologist at Mather Hospital.
Lungs can be damaged by many toxins, irritants
or allergens, but nothing accounts for so
many serious lung diseases and deaths as tobacco
smoke. According to the 2010 U.S. Surgeon
General’s Report: How Tobacco Smoke Causes
Disease, tobacco use is the single greatest cause of
preventable death in the United States, resulting in
443,000 deaths each year. In addition, thousands
more people die from heart disease and lung cancer
caused by secondhand smoke.
The destructive and often fatal diseases caused
by smoking include cardiovascular diseases lead-
2 | Housecalls
ing to heart attacks and strokes, cancers of the
lung, mouth, larynx, bladder and pancreas and
chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD),
including emphysema. The report states that 85
percent of all lung cancers and one-third of all
cancers are directly due to smoking.
“There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco
smoke,” the report notes. “Any exposure to tobacco
smoke – even an occasional cigarette or exposure
to secondhand smoke – is harmful.”
The Warning Signs of Lung Disease
The most common warning signs of lung
disease are shortness of breath, a persistent cough,
coughing up blood or recurring pneumonias.
Mather pulmonologist Mohamed T. Sameen,
MD advises contacting your primary care physician
fi rst if you experience any of these symptoms.
“It is sometimes diffi cult for a layman to
differentiate between a heart condition and a lung
condition,” he said. “Both can give you shortness
or breath or chest tightness. A primary care physician
can differentiate between the two conditions.”
“Do you notice a change in the level of the
shortness of breath you’re experiencing with
your usual activity? That’s the primary warning
sign,” said Mather pulmonologist Walter Szczupak,
MD. “Someone who has chronic bronchitis
from smoking may suddenly notice the cough has
changed. A change in voice could be an indication
of an involvement of the nerves to the vocal
cords.” Diffi culty swallowing, weight loss and fever
may also be warning signs of lung disease, he said.
If you smoke or have smoked, Dr. Baram
recommends asking about measuring your lung
function. Spirometry, a common lung function
test for screening for lung disease, involves blowing
in and out of a tube to measure the amount
of air that is inhaled and exhaled. Follow-up tests
may include other measures of lung function.
Causes of Lung Diseases
While smoking remains enemy number one
for lung health, occupational and environmental
exposure also contribute.
Certain occupations can place individuals at
risk for lung disease. While asbestos is no longer
used as an insulation material, some workers who
were exposed to it years ago continue to develop
mesothelioma (a cancer), asbestosis (scarring of
the lung), or a build-up of plaque on the lung
surface, Dr. Sameen said.
Workers in certain occupations may suffer
from asthma due to exposure to allergens – bakers
because of a fungus that grows on fl our, auto body
workers or painters due to allergic reactions to
latex, and farmers because of allergies to soybeans
or other crops.
Asthma is caused by infl ammation of the
airways which constricts the amount of air that
Nothing accounts for
so many serious
lung diseases and deaths
as tobacco smoke.
can pass through. When an asthma attack occurs,
the muscles surrounding the airways become tight
and the lining of the air passages swell. This reduces
the amount of air that can pass by, and can
lead to shortness of breath, wheezing or coughing,
or tightness in the chest.
Common environmental allergens that can
cause an asthma attack include pet hair or dander,
dust, mold, pollen and tobacco smoke. Cold
weather and stress are also triggers. Asthma is
a treatable disease, Dr. Baram noted, and most
people with asthma lead normal lives provided
they are careful with their exposures and take
their medications as prescribed. Often the symptoms
disappear once the allergen is removed, and
medications can help manage chronic asthma
symptoms.
Removing carpeting and drapes from bedrooms,
using dust covers on mattresses, and confi
ning pets to certain parts of the house can help
reduce asthma symptoms in some people with
asthma, Dr. Sameen said.
Morton Glaser, MD, Chief of the section of
Pulmonary Medicine, said he has also seen an
increase in interstitial lung disease and sarcoidosis.
Interstitial lung disease, in which the tissue surrounding
the air sacs (alveoli) become infl amed
or fi brotic (excess fi brous connective tissue),

involves the body’s own immune system attacking
the lungs. Sarcoidosis results in abnormal collections
of infl ammatory cells forming nodules in the
lungs or elsewhere in the body. The disease is also
thought to be the result of a malfunctioning of the
immune system.
Dr. Glaser said pulmonary embolisms are
another dangerous condition that can damage
the lungs. These involve the blockage of pulmonary
vessels due to blood clots that were formed
elsewhere in the body, often in the legs, and
travel to the lungs. Individuals who are sedentary,
overweight and over 40 are more at risk for the
condition, and women more than men, he said. In
hospitals, anticoagulants may be administered to
these patients as well as those with preexisting diseases
such as heart disease and cancer to prevent
the formation of blood clots.
While infl uenza is not a pulmonary disease, it
can cause pneumonia and other lung conditions,
particularly if individuals already have damaged
lungs due to smoking or other factors.
“Infl uenza can make you very ill and force
you to miss work; it can be deadly in patients with
preexisting medical diseases,” Dr. Baram said,
emphasizing the importance of getting a fl u shot.
“In the old days we only gave chronically ill people
and the elderly fl u shots. Today we recommend
everyone get one. That’s because when you catch
the fl u you give it to fi ve people.”
To fi nd a pulmonologist
or other physicians affi liated with
Mather Hospital, go to www.matherhospital.org
and click on “Find a Physician.”
To stop smoking,
sign up for a six-week
Smoking Cessation course at Mather Hospital
by calling 631-476-2723.
Sponsored by the Suff olk County
Tobacco Free Program, the class is free
and open to the public. Additional locations
are available. Call 631-853-4017
or visit www.suff olkcounty.gov/health
Pulmonary Stent Allows Cancer Patient to Breathe
Robert Strong (shown above with wife, Linda) received a pulmonary stent at Mather that allowed
him to breathe when a tumor blocked one of his lungs.
As a longtime smoker, Robert Strong of Selden had a persistent cough for many years.
Strong, 50, had quit smoking a number of times – sometimes for years – only to start up
again. But last June, when he became increasingly short of breath, the man who almost never
went to a doctor realized he needed help.
“I went for a checkup and the doctor said I had pneumonia. I had various tests, including
a chest x-ray and a CAT scan was ordered because I was a smoker and they noticed something
on the x-ray,” he said.
Following the CAT scan, Strong underwent a broncoscopy performed by Mather
pulmonologist Morton Glaser, MD, that confi rmed the presence of tumors blocking the main
airway to his right lung. Dr. Glaser called in Daniel Baram, MD, one of a few pulmonologists on
Long Island who specialize in placing pulmonary stents. A stent is a tubular prosthesis placed
via the bronchoscope that props open the blocked bronchial tube.
“[Strong] had a cancer that blocked one of his lungs,” said Dr. Baram. “He was on a
ventilator and couldn’t breathe.” Dr. Baram inserted a stent into Strong’s lung, allowing him to
breathe.
“The tumor had worked like a stopper, blocking my airway,” Strong said, explaining that
in fact there were two tumors, the larger about the size of a cherry tomato. “That stent was a
lifesaver for me.”
Strong was in Mather Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit for six days. “Dr. Baram was very
reassuring,” said Strong’s wife, Linda. “He pulled me aside and drew me a picture and
explained in language that I could understand and he said, ‘This is what we need to do.’”
Under the care of oncologist Stanley Ostrow, MD, Strong underwent chemotherapy,
followed by seven weeks of radiation, and a second round of chemo. The results were
encouraging.
“The tumor shrunk so much that Dr. Baram was able to remove the stent and my airways
are completely open,” Strong said. “It’s better than anyone expected, and I’m very happy.
When Dr. Baram took that stent out for me and I woke up from anesthesia I said ‘I’ll buy that
man a pizza.’ He’s my hero, that guy.”
Because of the location of his tumors, they couldn’t be removed through surgery.
“Hopefully they can keep it at bay with the chemo. I’m optimistic,” Strong said. “But I don’t
cough any more. I don’t cough at all, so that’s great.”
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman of the Board
Kenneth A. Jacoppi, Esq.
President
Kenneth D. Roberts
Vice Chairwoman
Betsy Noyes Britton
Vice Chairman
Konrad J. Kuhn
Vice Chairman
Harold Tranchon Jr.
Treasurer
John R. Sini
Secretary
Gene Gerrard
Chairwoman, Medical Board;
President, Medical Staff
Kara H.V. Kvilekval, MD
Vice Chairman, Medical
Board; Vice President,
Medical Staff
Richard Savino, MD
Board Members
Alan D. Beck
Ahmad Bhatti, MD
Gary Cress
James Danowski
M. Cecile Forte, Ph.D
Judith A. Fortunato
Kathryn B. Frey
Frederick C. Johs, Esq.
Thomas Kohlmann
Richard Lusak
James F. Maiella
Wayne Rampone
Leo Sternlicht
Edward J. Weiss
Publ Published blis ished hed he hed quarterly quarte quar qqu quar ar rterl
rly by the
he Pub Public ubli lic Aff Affairs Aff air airs irs
Department at
John T. Mather Memorial Hospital
75 North Country Road
Port Jeff erson, NY 11777
(631) 476-2723
Chairman, Public Aff airs Committee
Gene Gerrard
Vice Chairman, Public Affairs Committee
Alan Beck
Vice President, Public Aff airs
Nancy Uzo
Director, Public Relations
Stuart Vincent
Public Aff airs Staff
Hannah Feldman
Nancy Fischetti
Julie Parenti
Visit www.matherhospital.org
Housecalls | 3

Infusion Center Expansion Allows Greater Capacity, Additional Programs
Flanked by Infusion Center staff and members of the Hospital’s Board of Directors, Nicole Ghokassian, daughter
of Infusion Center patient Terry Portala (holding fl owers), prepares to cut the ribbon for the new Infusion
Center at Mather Hospital last October. Standing between them is Mather President Kenneth Roberts. To the
right of Ghokassian are Assemblyman Marc Alessi and Mather Board Chairman Kenneth Jacoppi.
Mather Hospital offi cially opened
its new Infusion Center last
October in the Frey Family
Foundation Medical Arts
Building on the hospital campus.
The beautifully appointed center includes a
spacious, calming reception area and 13 individual
treatment areas. Anchoring the sun-drenched
space is a nurses’ station with an optimum view
of all patients. The expanded center was funded in
large part by a $1.5 million Healthcare Effi ciency
A beautifully appointed reception area sets a calming tone for patients
and their families at the Infusion Center.
and Affordability Law (HEAL) grant, which also
provided funding for a Congestive Heart Failure
(CHF) Program and an Anticoagulation Program.
“For those patients requiring long-term
therapy, the outpatient setting enables them to
resume a relatively normal lifestyle and work
activities,” said Mather Hospital President
4 | Housecalls
Kenneth Roberts at
the Center’s opening.
“While the delivery of
infusion therapy has
made great strides, the
demand has also grown.
Our new Infusion
Center more than
doubles its previous
capacity.”
The Infusion Center
serves patients who
require chemotherapy,
transfusions or other
intravenous therapies
for cancer, lupus,
multiple sclerosis,
Crohn’s disease and
other autoimmune
diseases or IV antibiotics for infections.
Outpatient infusion therapy is also a treatment
option for hematological, rheumatologic,
gynecological and kidney disorders.
Some people receiving regular treatments for
cancer or chronic diseases and conditions too
often feel like a patient, identifi ed by their illness,
not their individuality. During her eight-year
ongoing battle with lymphoma, Terry Portala of
Farmingville has never had that experience at
Mather, which is why she values Mather’s Infusion
Center.
“When I go there, I don’t feel like I’m going to
a hospital,” says Portala, who receives treatment
several times a month. “The nurses and staff don’t
make me feel like I’m sick. They make me feel like
I’m the only person there.”
At the center, patients can make an
appointment that meets their needs and relax in
reclining treatment chairs, watch television, listen
to music, or simply read and rest. Light meals and
snacks are provided to patients who have extended
treatments.
Mather’s Infusion
Center is staffed by
specially trained nurses
and nurse practitioners.
Their level of care,
The spacious Infusion Center
provides patients with private
treatment areas that are fully
visible from the centrally located
nursing station.
according to Portala, is exceptional.
“The new center is beautiful and accessible,
but the best thing about being treated there is the
nursing staff,” said Portala. “They are absolutely
the best and they know just how to treat me.”
Center to Foster Patient Education
The Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) program
helps to reduce hospitalizations and department
visits and can improve a patient’s quality of life
through education and patient navigation.
Through the program, a nurse practitioner
(NP) works closely with the patient, stressing
the importance of keeping doctor visits and
following discharge instructions. The NP will call
the patients after they go home from the hospital
to be sure they keep their doctor appointments,
follow their diet, weigh themselves daily, fi ll
their prescriptions and take their medications as
directed by their physicians. In addition, a CHF
support group to assist patients and their families
meets at 1 pm on the third Wednesday of every
month in Mather Hospital’s Conference Rooms 1
&2. Discussion topics include: Daily Weights: Why
Weighing Yourself Daily is Important; Medications
Used in Heart Failure; Nutrition for the CHF
Patient – Understanding the Low Sodium Diet;
Symptom Awareness – When to Call Your Doctor;
and The Importance of Exercise and Physical
Activity.
Through the Anticoagulation Program,
patients, for example those who have recently
undergone total hip or total knee replacement
surgery, are monitored to keep their medication
regimen optimized. Nurse practitioners regularly
receive lab results and communicate with
patients to adjust the dosing of anticoagulant
medications as necessary. This ensures that
the correct drug effect is maintained to prevent
clotting or bleeding. Progress and concerns are
communicated to the patient’s physician.

Comedy Show & Food Tasting
at The Inn at East Wind, Wading River, NY
Thursday, February 17, 2011
5:30pm to 9:30pm
Featuring Long Island’s best restaurants, wineries and
microbreweries and New York’s funniest comedians.
For a complete listing, go to www.matherhospital.org/food
Proceeds benefi t Behavioral Health Services at Mather Hospital
Dee Snider
of Twisted Sister
Celebrity Guest
telephone:
(631) 476-6500
fax:
(631) 476-6502
Shane Snider
Comedian
100 Oakland Avenue
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
web:
www.global-usa.com
Mark Savage
Comedian
Sponsors:
Tim Gage
Comedian
Mark Thomas
Comedian
Global Computer Systems Jefferson’s Ferry
Ogdens Design & Plantings, Inc.
Allscripts Lakeview Rehabilitation Care Center Lomax Institute
Charlie Lombardo
WRCN DJ as Emcee
Sponsorship & Ticket Opportunities:
Please check your selection(s)
❏ Title Sponsor (1) ..................................................................... $10,000
Company name prominently positioned on event admittance tickets, sponsor board, and in event program.
Company name mentioned as Title Sponsor in all event press releases.
20 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine with reserved front row center seating.
Premiere location for corporate banner.
Company web address link on Mather’s website and Radio Station site through February 17, 2011.
Commemorative event photo album.
❏ Presenting Sponsors ......................................................... $5,000 each
Company name prominently positioned on event admittance tickets, sponsor board, and in event program.
Company name mentioned in event press release.
Company web address link on Mather’s website and Radio Station site through February 17, 2011.
10 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine with reserved VIP seating.
Commemorative event photo album.
❏ Wine Glass Sponsors (2) ..........................................................$3,000
Company name/logo on 400 event wine glasses.
Company name listed on event sponsor board and in event program.
4 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine event with reserved seating.
❏ Cocktail Plate Sponsors (2) .......................................................$3,000
Company name/logo on 400 event cocktail plates.
Company name listed on event sponsor board and in event program.
4 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine event with reserved seating.
❏ Coupon Sponsors ..............................................................$1,000 each
Company name listed on event sponsor board and in event program.
2 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine event.
❏ Donor Sponsors ................................................................... $500 each
Company name listed on event sponsor board and in event program.
2 tickets to Evening of Comedy & Cuisine event.
❏ Raffl e Gift Sponsors Sponsor donates gifts or gift certifi cates valued at $100 or higher
Company name will be listed with gift item on raffl e table and in event program.
Gift description___________________________________ Value $______________
❏ Event Tickets .......................................................................... $75 each
Includes unlimited food tasting and comedy show.
# of Tickets______________________ Total___________________
Total Amount Due & Enclosed $_______________ (Include Sponsor Opportunity & Event Ticket totals)
Name __________________________________________________________________________
Company Name_____________________________________________________________________
Street Address/City/State/Zip_____________________________________________________________
Telephone__________________________ E-mail Address______________________________________
Please charge my credit card: ❏ Visa ❏ Master Card ❏ Amex ❏ Discover
Card # __________________________________________________________________________
Exp. Date___/____ Signature ___________________________________________________________
Make checks payable to: JTM Foundation
or register online at www.matherhospital.org/food
Please mail or fax to: Mather Hospital Public Affairs Department
Attn: Laura Juliano
75 North Country Road
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
E-mail: LJuliano@matherhospital.org
Telephone: 631-476-2723 Fax: 631-476-2792
Experts in healing.
Specialists in caring.
Housecalls | 5

Attend our next FREE
Joint Replacement Seminar
Learn how advancements in minimally invasive
surgical techniques can:
Eliminate knee and hip pain • Minimize scarring
Reduce recovery time • Improve your life
For more information
or to register, call 631.476.2888
75 North Country Road
Port Jeff erson, NY
www.matherhospital.org
6 | Housecalls
Specialists in
computer-assisted knee
replacement
surgery
Dr. Arif Ahmad and Mather Hospital Again Earn
Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Designation
The Mather Hospital Bariatric Surgery Center, Dr. Arif Ahmad
and Long Island Laparoscopic Surgery have again been jointly
named a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American
Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
The Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence Award was fi rst
granted to Mather and Dr. Ahmad in 2007. This demonstrates a
continued commitment to excellence.
Center of Excellence designation demonstrates a commitment
by both surgeons and facilities to build and maintain a bariatric
surgery program that is truly dedicated to excellence. This approach
enables patients to distinguish providers who deliver highquality
perioperative and long-term follow-up
care.
To earn a Center of Excellence designation,
Dr. Ahmad and Mather Hospital underwent a
series of site inspections which examined the
program’s surgical processes, patient care and
health outcomes.
Obesity has become a signifi cant national
health issue, with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that
66 percent of all U.S. adults are overweight or
obese. Morbid obesity is closely correlated with
a number of serious conditions, including heart
disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Bariatric surgery,
when performed correctly, can help obese patients
manage these conditions.
Suzanne from Holbrook, NY had a gastric bypass
performed by Dr. Arif Ahmad at Mather Hospital and lost
90 pounds.
As a pioneering organization, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery is working
to align the common interests of patients, surgeons, hospitals and insurers.
For more information about the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence go to www.matherhospital.org/bariatrics
or www.drahmadmd.com.
45th Annual Gala Raises More Than $353,500 for Fortunato Breast Health Center
The 45th Annual One Enchanted Evening gala
on October 15 raised a total of $353,545 to benefi t
the Fortunato Breast Health Center and breast
cancer treatment at Mather Hospital.
The event, hosted by Mather Board Member
and Fortunato Breast Health Center benefactor
Judith Fortunato and Barney Fortunato, Jr., was
held at the Inn at East Wind in Wading River. This
year’s theme was Pink Ribbon Round Up and
guests, many of them sporting cowboy hats, boots
and jeans, were entertained by country western
line dancers, bid on items in the Silent Auction
Saloon and in some cases had to be bailed out of jail, with
all bail proceeds going to the Fortunato Center.
Board member James Danowski and physicians
Vincent Basilice, MD, Lloyd Lense, MD, and Robert Nataloni,
MD were honored with Mather Hospital’s 2010 Theodore
Roosevelt Awards. Bank of America, represented by Market
President Robert Isaksen, was the Community Honoree.
The Nassau-Suff olk Hospital Council created the Theodore
Roosevelt Awards more than 50 years ago to honor those
who demonstrate exceptional volunteer commitment to a
member hospital and their community.
One Enchanted Evening: Celebrating the success of the 45th Annual One Enchanted Evening gala on October 15 are
(from left) Mather President Kenneth Roberts, Mather Board Member and Fortunato Breast Health Center benefactor
Judith Fortunato, Barney Fortunato, Jr., and Mather Chairman of the Board Kenneth Jacoppi.

Saluting Service to Mather
As 2010 came to a close, Mather Hospital hosted a luncheon for volunteers to thank them for
their invaluable support to the hospital, its patients and staff. Chairman of the Mather Hosptital Board
Kenneth Jacoppi (seated, second from left) and Mather President Kenneth Roberts (seated, second from
right) paid tribute to the volunteers and the 2011 Auxiliary Board (from left, standing) Nancy Hutchinson
and Marge Fifield, Auxiliary President Helen Rodowicz, First Vice President Louise Grinere, (seated)
Treasurer Dorothy Milau and Second Vice President Ida Forstel.
Volunteers donated more than 43,000 hours of their time to the hospital in 2010 and the Auxiliary
presented Mather with a check for $241,000, which represents funds raised in 2009 through the Thrift
Shop, Gift Shop and other ventures.
National Award for Mather Prostate Cancer Support Group Leader
Craig Schmidt, leader of the Us TOO prostate
cancer support group at Mather Hospital, and his
wife, Shirley
Craig Schmidt recalls the awful
day 13 years ago when he got the news
from his doctor – Stage 4 prostate
cancer.
“It had already progressed into my
body,” he recalled. “The only thing they
could do for me was with radiation and
hormone therapy.”
On December 3, Schmidt was in
Chicago to accept the Edward C. Kaps
Hope Award, given to “An Outstanding
Leader in an Us TOO support group
who has shown unselfish, dedicated
service to prostate cancer survivors and
their families.” He was honored for leading the Us TOO prostate cancer
support group at Mather Hospital. Us TOO International is a prostate cancer
education and support network started in 1990.
The path from diagnosis to award recipient led Schmidt through 13
years of therapy, tests, support, advocacy and a continuing search for the
Dr. Keith Harris Honored for Work
Keith Harris, DO, the founding director of Mather
Hospital’s Intensivist Program and chief of its Division
of Critical Care, has been honored by two different
publications for his work at Mather.
Dr. Harris, 35, was named to the Long Island
Business News 40 Under 40 Class of 2011. The 40
Under 40 Awards recognize outstanding members
of the Long Island community who are under the
age of 40. “These future leaders of Long Island have
already begun to distinguish themselves in business,
government, education and the not-for-profit sector. They have a proven
track record of career success, are involved in mentoring and promoting
their profession and find time to give back to their communities,” according
to Long Island Business News.
“I’m humbled. This is quite an award to receive at my stage in life,” said
Dr. Harris. “This is truly a testimonial to the hospital and the community.
The reason why we have been able to make such an impact on the care
of patients and their families in the ICU is because Mather believed in me.
What we are doing has made a difference for the patients in the ICU and
their families at Mather.”
In addition, Dr. Harris was named a 2010 Man of the Year in Medicine by
Times Beacon Record Newspapers for his outstanding contributions to the
community. The awards recognize men and women in various fields who
work in the TBR circulation area.
Intensivists care for the most critically ill patients in the Intensive Care
Unit, Critical Care Unit, Step-Down Unit and Emergency Department. They
are the primary caregivers for those patients in the hospital, coordinating
round-the-clock care and monitoring and communicating with the patient’s
primary care physician and other specialists. Studies have shown that
patients whose care is managed by intensivists in the ICU recover more
quickly and achieve greater clinical outcomes overall, according to JAMA.
latest information on the disease. Each year, prostate cancer r strikes strik stri strikes trikes rike ikes
s more mor more mor more
than 232,000 men. The disease claims more than 30,000 lives
ives each eeach
each ch year, ye y yyea
year, e r, an
and
1 in 6 men is at a lifetime risk of prostate cancer.
With strong support from his wife, Shirley, Schmidt began be began egan seeking seekin se
eking king help
help
after his diagnosis. “I went through a very, very difficult time me me and
nd
d when I
I
finally woke up I said ‘I have to go for some help for me.’”
Schmidt attended a prostate cancer support group at Jefferson’s Jefferson’ Jefferson on’ on’s n’s ’s ’ Ferry
in South Setauket, and eventually took over the group. In In 2004,
2004, 4, 44,
, Schmidt Schm SSchm
hm
took over a new Us TOO Prostate Cancer Support Group roup at Mather. M Ma MMather.
ather. . T
The
group, which has grown from six members to 77, meets mee meets eets ts the
e first firs stt
Tuesday Tuesd Tues sd of
each month at 7:30 p.m. and welcomes prostate cancer ancer survivors sur
urvivorr
rs aand
and nd t
their
families. For more information, contact Schmidt at aat
at 631-846-4377.
631-8 631-846-43
3777.
Us TOO International recommends that men have
e annual prostate p pprostate
ate examinations,
which should include both a Prostate-Specific ppecific
pe Antigen igen gen ( (PSA) (
blood test and a digital rectal examination (DRE), starting at age ge 35 for
African American men, or those with a family history of prostate cancer,
and no later than age 40 for all other men.
For more information on Us TOO and prostate cancer, go to
www.ustoo.org
Housecalls | 7

Mather Hospital is
the only
Long Island
Hospital
named a “Top Hospital”
for patient safety for
2 consecutive years
by the Niagara Health Quality Coalition.
Complete hospital rankings at www.myHealthFinder.com
Click on New York State Hospital Report Card
75 N. Country Road
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT # 14
HUNTINGTON, NY
Have you Herd the Moos? You can win Moooooo-cho moooooo-lah!
64 Prizes Awarded!
$200/Chance or 3 Chances for $300
Only 1,500 Raffl e Balls Sold! Multiple Chances to Win!
(All winning balls are returned to the drum for all prize drawings.)
Win a Free Raffl e Ball! BECOME A RAFFLE SELLER!
Sell $2,000 in Raffl e Balls and Receive 1 Complimentary Raffl e Ball
For further information or to
purchase raffl e balls online:
www.matherhospital.org/cow
or call Public Aff airs
(631) 476-2723
2 Drawings Daily/$300 each
(5/9/11 - 6/17/11)
BONUS DRAWINGS:
Mooother’s Day Draw .......... $1,000 ......... 5/9/11
Mooomorial Day Draw ........ $2,000 ......... 5/31/11
Out to Pasture Draw ............ $3,000 ......... 6/7/11
Udder Delight Draw ............. $5,000 ......... 6/17/11
All prizes are subject to applicable taxes. License #47-202-180-07439
Please complete, sign and return the application form to:
Mather Hospital Public Affairs Department
75 North Country Road
Port Jefferson, NY 11777
Online Registration: www.matherhospital.org/cow
Telephone: 631-476-2723 or fax to: 631-476-2792
Please indicate if this is: ❏ New Application ❏ Renewal
Name ____________________________________________________________________________________
Street Address/City/State/Zip______________________________________________________________________
Telephone____________________________________ E-mail Address______________________________________
❏ YES, I would like to be a raffl e seller. ❏ $200 Per Raffl e Ball ❏ 3 Raffl e Balls for $300
Total Number of Raffl e Balls_______ Total Due $_______________
Method of Payment: ❏ Check, payable to JTM Foundation ❏ Please charge my credit card:
❏ Visa ❏ Master Card ❏ Amex ❏ Discover
Card # ______________________________________________________________________________
Exp. Date___/____ Signature ________________________________________________________________