Page 6 - Stuart Exposure - October '24

Page 6, Stuart Exposure

Cleveland CliniC MarTin healTh news

Advanced Cancer Care Is In cancer program at Martin Health. He and his team also
Adam Kotkiewicz, D.O., runs the genitourinary
Your Community use molecular testing to determine treatment for cancers
that affect the bladder, prostate, kidneys and testicles.
The Robert and Carol Weissman Cancer Center “Every patient’s care is and should be personalized to
at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health provides the most their specific cancer,” Kotkiewicz says.
advanced cancer care available. Kotkiewicz says his team’s ability to communicate
Programs and services at the center have grown in and collaborate with a variety of experts at Cleveland
the past few years with the expansion of staff to include Clinic’s Weston and main campuses is the key to the best
additional medical and radiation oncologists, nurse outcomes for their patients.
practitioners, social workers, genetic counselors and There are a variety of resources available for patients
palliative care providers. undergoing cancer treatment, including chemotherapy,
Patients who receive care at Martin Health benefit Adam Kotkiewicz, D.O. Xin Yao, M.D. radiation therapy and surgery. All of these services are
from the expertise of physicians who specialize in specific available within the Cleveland Clinic organization in
cancers and regularly collaborate with their colleagues at are treating patients based on the mutation of the cancer Florida, allowing for seamless care for patients.
Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital and Cleveland Clinic’s cells. This type of testing gives us crucial information For more information or to schedule an appointment,
main campus in Ohio. This collaboration allows patients on how the cancer will behave and whether patients will please call (772) 288-5858.
access to the full range of cancer care options from respond to certain treatments.”
healthcare providers who are at the top of their field.
The gastrointestinal cancer program, which treats
liver, bile duct, stomach, colon, pancreatic and rectal
cancers, is led by medical oncologist Xin Yao, M.D. Dr.
Yao is a member of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology
Group (ECOG), a national organization that performs
multicenter clinical trials for cancer research. Yao serves
as a representative for the community to the ECOG,
providing feedback on clinical trials and their value to
patients in the area. He is focused on making clinical trials
more accessible for patients on the Treasure Coast.
Among the most advanced services offered at Martin
Health, molecular testing is a routine part of treatment for
many patients. Molecular testing is used for many reasons,
including determining the type and characteristics of cancer.
“Molecular testing is really important because cancer
treatment is now really individualized,” Yao says. “We

NoNprofit News

CTWH Announces

Partnership With Monique
Burr Foundation

By Jackie Holfelder
T he Moni que
Burr Foundation
for Children
(MBF), a nonprofit
organization located
in Jacksonville, was
founded in 1997 to
educate and protect
children and teens
from all types of
bullying, abuse, and
other types of child
victimization using
evidence-based and Sarah Marie Henry, executive
evidence-informed director of Catch the Wave of Hope.
prevention education Photo provided by Catch the Wave
programs. of Hope.
Sarah M arie
Henry, executive director of Catch the Wave of Hope
(CTWH), recently announced a new partnership with
MBF.
The CTWH team completed the Monique Burr
Foundation’s Facilitator Training in the Child and Teen
Safety Matters Curriculum, which gives CTWH leadership
the credentials and resources to offer MBF curriculum in
any Florida school at no charge to the school.
This evidence-based curriculum is approved by the
Florida Board of Education and meets the state mandate on
human trafficking prevention for all K-12 grade students.
This important designation allows schools to outsource
this required program. It is especially important because
not all human trafficking training programs have state
approval.
Henry says that when schools permit Catch the Wave of
Hope staff to present the MBF program to their students,
it decreases the workload for school personnel while
equipping youth with the information they need to protect
themselves from this ever-increasing threat to their safety
and well-being.
To find out more about how Catch the Wave of
Hope can bring this important educational tool to your
school, contact Sarah Marie Henry at sarahmarie.henry@
catchthewaveofhope.org. See answer in this paper.