Page 9 - The Jewish Voice - September '21
P. 9
The Jewish Voice, Page 9
LiFestyLes
Guardianship Association Jewish Genetic Screening “Making cancer genetic testing accessible is key,” said
Hosts Webinar, Annual Program Now Offers Test for Dr. Jane Lowe Meisel, associate professor of hematology and
medical oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine
Meeting Cancer Risks and medical director for JScreen’s cancer program. “This type of
testing is important because it alerts people to their risks before
Robin Phemister, NCG By Renee Ghert-Zand, JTA News they get cancer. They can then take action to help prevent cancer
of Solutions by RPM, Inc.; After discovering a suspicious lump in her breast, Abby altogether or to detect it at an early, treatable stage.”
Pam Wiener, director of Match was diagnosed last August with an aggressive form If your mother or father has a BRCA mutation, you have a
guardianship at Ferd & of breast cancer. She subsequently underwent a bilateral 50 percent chance of carrying it. After Match’s diagnosis, her
Gladys Alpert Jewish Family mastectomy, hysterectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. family members underwent genetic screening and discovered
Service; Penny Maitner, It was only after she discovered she was sick that Match, that Match’s mother, Carla Rockmaker, 61, carries the same
president of the Palm Beach 35, learned she was a carrier of a mutation in her BRCA1 gene BRCA1 mutation as her daughter and had passed it on to her.
Guardianship Association; — associated with a significantly elevated risk for developing “It was very distressing, to say the least,” Rockmaker said.
and Attorney Lois B. Lepp breast cancer at a young age, and also for ovarian and other Rockmaker, who lives in Sarasota, decided to undergo
spoke to an audience of 160 cancers. One in 40 Ashkenazi Jews have a BRCA mutation, a preventive bilateral mastectomy and also encouraged her
at the Florida State Guardianship Association Members which is 10 times higher than in the general population. fiancé to be screened. It turned out that he carries a BRCA2
Webinar and Annual Meeting about the services that Match, a speech pathologist living outside Philadelphia, mutation. The couple plans to avoid excess sun exposure
guardians provide to vulnerable adults. wishes she had known about her genetic predisposition and monitor their health closely, as BRCA-related cancers
Lepp led the first session, addressing confidentiality, beforehand. She could have — by getting genetic screening. include pancreatic, prostate, and melanoma, in addition to
guiding guardians on the information that must be shared, and Had she known she was a BRCA carrier, she could have more breast and ovarian cancer. Jews also are at higher risk of
information that should not be shared, according to Florida closely monitored herself for early signs and taken certain carrying a mutation in the APC gene, increasing their risk
statute(s) throughout the guardianship and to whom. The second preventive steps. for colorectal cancer.
session, a guardianship roundtable discussion with Maitner, “Knowledge is power — it is important to know the risks After completing a pilot project in Atlanta from July 2019 to
Phemister, and Wiener, spoke to topics ranging from how to ahead of time,” Match said. “It doesn’t mean that it will June 2020 in which 500 people of Jewish background were tested
implement recent legislative changes to management of assets. happen, but knowing allows you to take actions to increase for mutations in the BRCA genes, JScreen formally launched its
The professionals, with varying backgrounds and experiences, the chances to live a long, healthy life.” 60+ gene cancer screening test nationally in January.
offered resources to address the challenges associated with the Getting genetic screening for cancer risk is quite simple “For the Atlanta pilot, none of the people tested had
incarceration of wards and best practices regarding end-of-life — and recently got easier, thanks to a national program related cancers in close family members, but we still found
decisions that honor wards’ wishes, as well as suggestions on called JScreen that focuses on prevention of Jewish genetic that there was a higher rate of BRCA mutations than in the
how to provide safe spaces for family interaction. diseases. A nonprofit project of the Emory University School of non-Jewish population,” said JScreen executive director
“We, as guardians, must respond to the requirements of the Medicine’s Department of Human Genetics, JScreen provides Karen Arnovitz Grinzaid. “We added the cancer panel to our
court with regard to the person under guardianship, as well as genetic screening tests for at-home use that can be completed testing options because we want to impact the health of the
being responsible for safeguarding the assets and income to just by sending in a saliva sample using a mail-in kit. Jewish community over the entire life span.”
ensure the care of those under guardianship,” said Maitner. “It JScreen has provided subsidized reproductive testing for The subsidized cancer screening, which costs consumers
is a privilege as well as a responsibility to provide the best care genetic diseases, screening for conditions like Tay-Sachs with insurance $199 (or $349 for those without insurance or
and decisions for the most vulnerable among us.” disease that could impact a couple’s future children. Now who choose not to use it), requires a doctor’s order and is
“I believe it is necessary in this profession to mentor, guide, the organization also offers cancer genetic testing, including available to anyone age 21 and above.
and encourage one another,” said Phemister. “Sessions like this a comprehensive panel of more than 60 cancer susceptibility JScreen, which launched in 2013 with seed funding from
offer insight on what has been done before to help guardians genes associated with hereditary risks for breast, ovarian, The Marcus Foundation, initially focused on reproductive
navigate some extremely difficult situations and determine a prostate, colorectal, skin, and many other cancers. Genetic screening for people ages 18-45 to determine the risk for
sensitive, practical solution. It was an honor for me to present counselors discuss the results with users by phone or secure
alongside my esteemed co-panelists.” video-conference. Lifestyles on page 10
When it comes to healing your heart,
A COMMUNITY BUILT ON TEAMWORK
Advanced Heart Care you need a cardiovascular team that
is leading the way with some of the
Takes the Palm Beach Gardens Our innovative services include:
most advanced, life-saving medical
procedures and positive outcomes.
Medical Center Team
HEAL • Minimally invasive heart valve surgery, performed
• 1st hospital in PB County and the Treasure Coast
to perform open heart surgery; nearly 19,000 open
heart surgeries since 1983
through a small incision between the ribs as
opposed to through the breast bone, may offer
less pain, and a faster return to work and activities
than traditional open heart surgery
• Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Labs
• Premier Cardiovascular Physicians and
Electrophysiologists
• Valve Clinic
• Minimally Invasive Treatment Options (MitraClip™,
TAVR, Convergent, Watchman )
TM
• Vascular Surgery
• Inpatient/Outpatient Cardiac and Pulmonary
Rehabilitation
• Nationally Recognized Programs for Outcomes
and Quality
• Participation in clinical research trials for some of
the latest treatments available
3360 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens | pbgmc.com
Richard Faro, MD,
Steven Kessel, MD, Matthew Kolek, MD, Cardiothoracic and Denise Kvapil, Chief Nursing Kim Pacewicz, RN, MHA, OCN, Sara Chambers, RN, BSN David Steinberg, RDCS
Cardiologist Electrophysiologist Vascular Surgeon and Operations Officer Admin Director Patient Care
To find a Heart Specialist, please call 877-346-1842
or visit pbgmc.com/cardiac. BEST HEART CENTER