There’s just something about October

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By Tasha Harris,  MS, CMD – Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center Director

It’s hard to believe October is nearly here.

October is a special month. It’s the month we see pink ribbons everywhere and we hear about breast cancer awareness.

I think October and those pink ribbons have led to more awareness of cancer in general than any single educational promotion could. That makes October the perfect month to have conversations about what we can do to prevent cancer and what screenings are needed to detect and prevent any type of cancer.

There is so much that can be done to prevent a myriad of cancers:

  • Eat healthy.
  • Exercise.
  • Don’t smoke or use tobacco products.
  • Limit or don’t drink alcohol.
  • Use sunscreen.
  • Wear a hat.
  • Get the HPV vaccine.
  • Schedule regular mammograms with Sweetwater Memorial’s Imaging Department.
  • Ask your Sweetwater Specialty Clinic provider about scheduling regular Pap tests and colonoscopies.
  • Make an appointment for a skin check with one of our physicians at the General Surgery Clinic of Sweetwater Memorial.
  • Stop by the hospital’s Outpatient Laboratory for a Health & Wellness Screening and a PSA test.
  • Take care of yourself. Make the time.

Cancer screenings are essential because early detection of cancer leads to better treatment outcomes and a much higher chance of survival. This is why healthcare professionals talk so much about mammograms, annual tests, vaccines, and preventative procedures.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can be very scary news. At Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center, we have an outstanding Patient Navigation Team. The team is here to help our patients from the beginning of a diagnosis or prevention query. They provide the patient with all of the resources or support they may need. We work closely with the referring providers and various departments throughout the hospital – general surgery, medical imaging, and laboratory – to ensure continuity of care.

At the Cancer Center, we treat nearly every type of cancer that requires chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. We have a highly skilled and compassionate team of professionals who provide excellent care with top-of-the-line equipment.

The best part is, it’s right here at home. Area residents don’t have to travel to Salt Lake City for treatment. It’s something our patients are constantly telling us they are so grateful for. Getting outstanding treatment close to home has allowed our patients to maintain more normalcy in their lives, continue working, save a lot of money, and remain close to family and friends while undergoing treatment.

Our patients tell us they feel like we truly care about them and we treat them like family. That’s exactly what we strive for.

In the end, this is why October is so important. October is pink. October is cancer awareness. More than any other time of the year, October is when we have your attention. We try to make it easy for everyone in the community to learn more about not only breast cancer prevention but preventing all cancers.

We’ll be doing that again with our annual Paint the Town Pink events, complete with prizes, information, and fun. Rock Springs and Green River businesses will decorate their storefronts to compete for a trophy awarded in each city, along with bragging rights.

October really is a special month.

For more on the Paint the Town Pink activities and all Sweetwater Memorial has to offer, go to sweetwatermemorial.com or follow us on Facebook.


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