Page 13 - Southern Exposure - October '24

Southern Exposure, Page 13

ClEvEland CliniC good WorKS from page 12

florida nEWS Connections serves 140 individuals, many of whom might
not have access to high quality services without the school.
More than 80 percent of the school’s students live below the
poverty line, 94 percent come from minority families and over
Cutting Colon Cancer 50 percent live in single parent homes or with grandparents.
This year’s Fire Truck Pull also featured a Special Needs
Out Of The Family Tree Registry enrollment drive by the Palm Beach Gardens Police,
allowing families with children who have autism or other
special needs to register their children, ensuring that police
are better informed in case of an emergency.
About five of every the latest medical care, education and support,” says For event highlights and more information, visit
100 people with colon Giovanna da Silva, M.D., a Cleveland Clinic colorectal connectedpb.com/fire truck pull.
or rectal cancer have the surgeon and researcher in Florida. Learn more at connectedpb.com.
disease because of a gene The centerpiece of the program is the Jagelman Photo credit Connections Education Center
passed down through Registry, a database of patient information of families
their family. Researchers with FAP. Using this data, physicians at Cleveland
at Cleveland Clinic in Clinic in Florida work with teams elsewhere to
Florida are investing in research the condition and share the latest medicines
specialists and resources and other treatments. Besides colon polyps, FAP can
to identify these families also cause growths or cancer in the stomach, pancreas,
at risk, with the goal bone and other areas. The earliest preventive care
of preventing inherited ranges from medicines that stop the growth of polyps
colorectal cancer from Giovanna da Silva, M.D. to simple colonoscopies to remove those that have not
ever developing at all. yet become cancer.
The focus is on familial adenomatous polyposis “Using the registry, we’re able to let patients know
(FAP). “Familial” means inherited, or passed down what screenings they should have and how often,” says
through families. Adenomas are specific types of polyps Dr. da Silva. “That can save their lives and those of
that can become cancer. People with FAP have a 100 their family members. We’re definitely very proud of
percent chance to get colorectal cancer, and parents our program, and we’re looking forward to helping PBG Police pulling
with FAP have a 50/50 chance of passing it down to more and more patients through it.”
their children. To make an appointment with Dr. da Silva or
“We want to get the word out about our program, so another Cleveland Clinic specialist in Florida, call
we can let as many people as possible know if they’re (877) 463.2010 or visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/
at risk, educate others in their family and offer each one Access today.

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