Page 23 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - January '24

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 23
Palm Beach County Surgeon
Committed To Lung Cancer Education And Prevention
Ac c o rdi ng t o t he
American Cancer Society,
lung cancer is the leading
cause of cancer deaths in
the United States among
both men and women. Often
asymptomatic, it can go
undiagnosed for an extended
period. When symptoms do
appear, it’s usually because
the cancer has spread, and
there’s less chance for
survival. This makes early
screenings critical in detecting and treating the country’s
deadliest cancer.
Dr. Marcus Eby, a board certified thoracic surgeon with
Tampa General Hospital (TGH) Cancer Institute in Palm Eby specializes in minimally invasive robotic techniques
Beach County, treats lung cancer and is a staunch advocate for the treatment of diseases that occur in the chest. He also
of lung cancer screenings for early detection. “Finding cancer treats multiple complex thoracic conditions, including benign
before it spreads saves lives,” said Eby. and malignant lung diseases.
Unlike breast and colon cancers, public awareness around Eby recently joined the TGH Cancer Institute team as part
lung cancer and the need for regular lung cancer screenings of the hospital’s initiative to serve more patients on Florida’s
is not as robust. Eby does his part, offering comprehensive east coast. TGH has been creating a framework of state-of-
lectures about lung health to community groups. the-art services for patients in the Palm Beach County and
Eby noted that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Treasure Coast areas, with the expertise and innovation of
which establishes guidelines for cancer screenings, recently an academic health system.
dropped the recommended age for annual lung cancer An Idaho native, Eby completed medical school at the
screenings to 50. The screening involves a simple CT scan New York Medical College in Valhalla, N.Y., and his general
ordered by a primary care physician. Most insurance plans surgery training at the University of Miami. He was elected
cover screenings for adults over the age of 50 who currently, to Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society and
or have previously, averaged a pack a day of cigarette finished his fellowship training in cardiothoracic surgery
smoking for 20 years. at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, which is
nationally known for its high volume and minimally invasive
approaches to treat abnormal changes in body functions due
to thoracic diseases.
TGH Cancer Institute is nationally recognized by U.S.
News & World Report and the Commission on Cancer, and
is home to the country’s top cancer specialists, surgeons
and research scientists. TGH specialists collaborate with
experienced oncologists and surgeons across Palm Beach
County to deliver personalized medicine and game-changing
treatments fueled by academic research.
TGH Cancer Institute has multiple locations across Palm
Beach County. Eby sees patients in West Palm Beach and
Jupiter, and can be reached by calling (561) 659-6543.
Math Problems
Could Spell
Dyscalculia
By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,
School Psychologist
“If you have $196
dollars and you spend
$27, how much money do
you have left?” If you are
a math whiz you quickly
knew the answer was
$169 but perhaps you had
to think about it, write
it, ask Alexa, or use a
calculator before knowing
the answer. The key here is you knew the basics of how
to solve the problem. If you did not have technology, you
could solve the math problem by hand.
Some children receive adequate math instruction but
perform poorly in math due to a math learning disability
called dyscalculia. These children might grasp simple math
but struggle with multistep math or math word problems.
They learn multiplication facts only to forget them.
There are many reasons why a child might have math
difficulty. Consider the introductory math problem.
What brain systems did you use to solve the problem?
One cognitive system which is important for math is
visualization. You might have visualized the numbers
196 and 27 in your mind as you visually regrouped and
subtracted to solve the equation. Another important
cognitive system is your working memory. You had to hold
196 and 27 in your working memory while you performed
the math operation.
A third cognitive system important for math is attention.
Regardless of using mental math or paper, you had to give
great attention to detail as you solved the problem. If you
made one careless error, it doomed your answer. Language
is a fourth cognitive system involved in math. You had to use
language to understand “how much money do you have left”
requires subtraction. Math has other specialized vocabulary
words such as sum, radius, and hypotenuse. A fifth cognitive
system needed for math is processing speed. Your child is
often timed on math tests or expected to rapidly know their
basic addition, subtraction, or multiplication facts.
As you can see, telling your child to “try harder” in
math might not be the solution. Our testing helps identify
which of your child’s cognitive systems are working well
and which ones might be causing a math learning disability
and dyscalculia. There are specialized math programs and
learning strategies available to help children. Call to discuss
your child. Visit JimForgan.com or call (561) 625-4125.