To Commemorate Mother’s Day, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt Will Offer No or Low-Cost Mammograms to Qualified Walk-In Patients
Staten Islanders can get a life-saving breast cancer screening at the clinic on Friday, May 12th between 1 and 3pm
May 11, 2023
New York, NY
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt today announced that it will offer free and low-cost mammograms to qualified walk-in patients during a special “Mother’s Day Health” event at the clinic on Friday, May 12th between 1 and 3pm. The Gotham Health/Vanderbilt clinic is located at 165 Vanderbilt Avenue at the corner of Tompkins Avenue on Staten Island. The event will be open to NYC Health + Hospitals patients, staff, and the general public regardless of immigration status or ability to pay.
Breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women in the U.S. Some people who have breast cancer have no signs or symptoms. Black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than White women, according to the C.D.C. Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early, sometimes up to three years before it can be felt.
“The early detection of breast cancer is primarily reliant on mammograms, making them a crucial tool in preventive medicine. NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is dedicated to advocating for and offering this life-saving screening at low or no cost.” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health CEO Michelle Lewis.
“We know that many families will be celebrating Mother’s Day. We believe that this important screening is a wonderful way to support the wellbeing of Moms on this special day” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Queens and Staten Island Regional Medical Director Dr. Peter J. Tesler.
“As Mother’s Day approaches, it serves as an important occasion to reinforce the message about the importance of mammograms as a tool to prevent breast cancer. We hope that this special day will motivate women to prioritize their health by scheduling an appointment for a mammogram.” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health Vanderbilt Medical Director Dr. Shimeng Hu.
Risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Not exercising regularly
- Obesity
- Taking combination estrogen-progesterone hormone replacement therapy during menopause
- Currently using certain birth control pills
- Having a family history of breast cancer
- Having a specific gene mutation for breast cancer, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Beginning menstruation before age 12 or started menopause after age 55
Breast cancer or an abnormality cannot always be seen or felt. However, if you experience any of these symptoms, speak with your doctor immediately:
- A new lump in the breast or underarm
- Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
- Dimpling breast skin
- Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast
- A nipple that turns in or becomes sunken
- Pain in the chest
If you cannot attend the event and would like to schedule a mammogram or other breast cancer screening at a Gotham Health site, call 844-NYC-4NYC (844-692-4692). If you already have a primary care doctor at Gotham Health, they can help you set up an appointment. Referrals can also be made as part of a routine virtual visit with your provider.
MEDIA CONTACT: Nash Dunlap, NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, 212-238-7766
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health is a Federally Qualified Healthcare Provider formed in 2012 to enable individuals and families to address their health care needs in their own neighborhoods. Serving more than 100,000 New Yorkers annually in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Queens, Gotham Health consists of 38 healthcare sites in all five boroughs of New York City. Gotham Health provides easy-to-access, high-quality, affordable health care services with a focus on primary care. It is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and building healthy communities, with a focus upon providing patients and families convenient access to high-quality preventive care, such as annual check-ups and immunizations. Health care teams are trained to help patients manage ongoing conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nychealthsystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.