October was Breast Cancer Awareness month! To do what they could to help bring awareness, students from the Ross Medical Education Center Elyria, Ohio campus made and donated over 400 pink ribbons to Elyria Memorial Hospital’s Mammography Department. Each ribbon was pinned to a Ross “Did You Know” postcard. The ribbons are being given away throughout the month in bags handed out to all patients getting mammograms during the month of October. This is just one way the Ross Elyria students worked to interact with the community and make a positive impact.
Kathy Lechner, with Elyria Memorial Hospital mammography, stated that the giveaway bags, and donations like the ribbons, make such a huge impact on patients because “breast cancer is so much more of an emotional and mental illness than just physical.” She continued by explaining that women tend to identify so much with their physical appearance, so this disease can take far more than their health. “When a woman loses her hair or breasts, she loses also a sense of femininity,” said Office Assistant Anesa Arnold. “It is an amazing thing when the community can come together to show love and support, making the journey so much more bearable.”
In the spirit of raising awareness, Campus Director Brenda Meyer brought in a special guest. Michele Taylor, Program Manager of Integrative Medicine with the Cleveland Clinic, spoke to students about different types of cancer, prevention methods, and treatments. Ms. Taylor also discussed the importance of not only providing physical care for one with cancer, but also helping patients, family, and friends to mentally and emotionally cope with cancer. Ms. Taylor, along with the Integrative Medicine Department within the Cleveland Clinic, provides complimentary services to patients being treated for various cancers. Through this department, patients receive treatments such as massage therapy, reflexology, reiki, meditation, and several other services, free of charge, to help them during difficult treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Through this program, the Cleveland Clinic also offers a Wig Boutique, where patients are able to receive complementary wigs, scarves and hats to help with self-esteem and confidence, and provide a sense of normalcy to the patients.