Long Beach Memorial to Provide Women With a Coping Map for Their Cancer Treatment Journey

On Saturday, July 23, the MemorialCare Breast Center at Long Beach Memorial is sponsoring a wellness retreat at their campus for women with breast, ovarian and gynecologic cancers. The retreat, presented by the Women Guiding Women: Cancer Support and Education program at the Breast Center, will feature presentations by leading physicians from the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute (TCI) at Long Beach Memorial and other neighboring hospitals.

Topics discussed will cover cancer survival skills and physical and psychosocial cancer care. The goal of the retreat is to provide women with the support that goes beyond medical treatment and to introduce women to other survivors and the resources available at the Breast Center.

Psychiatrist and medical director of the psychosocial oncology program at TCI, Mariusz Wirga, M.D., will kick-off the retreat by explaining the science behind the health value of humor, laughter and play. The psychosocial programs at TCI help patients improve their quality of life by re-framing their way of thinking and helps patients with the physical and emotional aspects of cancer. The psychosocial team brings a sense of familiarity and bond between patients and the health care team and ensures that patients and their families receive support, encouragement and access to community resources.

“Taking care of the emotional aspects and the stress of cancer not only improves an individual’s quality of life, but is important to survival. Everyone does their best to cope with cancer, but there is always room for joy and laughter which is a significant part of the healing process,” states Dr. Wirga.

Additionally, Homayoon Sanati, M.D., Medical Director, MemorialCare Breast Center will be presenting updates from the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

The retreat is taking place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to patients, their loved ones and the public. The retreat is being held at Houssels Forum on the campus of Long Beach Memorial at 2801 Atlantic Blvd. Light refreshments will be served and parking validation will be provided. Reservations are required by July 15. Register Online Here or call (562) 933-7815. Donations are gratefully accepted.

About the MemorialCare Breast Center
Named a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, the MemorialCare Breast Center at Long Beach Memorial is dedicated to the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. The Breast Center offers comprehensive care, including digital mammograms and bone density screenings using the latest digital mammography, breast MRI and ultrasound technology. The multidisciplinary team of expert physicians, technologists and clinicians take a comprehensive approach to provide the best possible care. All of the radiologists are fellowship-trained subspecialists in breast imaging. And there are dedicated female radiologists, who specialize in breast imaging, interpreting every exam.

About Long Beach Memorial
Long Beach Memorial is a part of the MemorialCare Health System, a nationally recognized not-for-profit integrated delivery system with top ratings for quality and safety. Long Beach Memorial has been providing compassionate care with the latest state-of-the-art technology for more than 100 years and is the region's first choice for comprehensive care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. Centers of excellence include the MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute, the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute, the MemorialCare Rehabilitation Institute, the MemorialCare Orthopedic Institute, the MemorialCare Neuroscience Institute and the Emergency Department and Trauma Center.