Cleveland Clinic Florida, currently one of the top ten hospitals in Florida ranked by the U.S. News & World Report, has been busy advocating for breast cancer awareness in the Cayman Islands. Breast Cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the Caribbean.

In September, Margaret Thompson, MD, Breast Surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Florida, attended the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s Conquering Cancer Symposium, the HSA Lunch and Learn and the Cayman Islands Health Fair.

Dr. Thompson spoke at all three events on topics including ‘Updates on Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment’ and ‘Myths and Facts on Breast Cancer.’ Cleveland Clinic Florida also distributed materials on both general health and cancer awareness at the events.

In October, Cleveland Clinic Florida was one of the top tier sponsors of the Cayman Island Breast Cancer Foundation’s annual Breast Cancer Gala.

The hospital said that sponsoring the Gala was an easy decision and is part of the larger goal of raising awareness on the realities of breast cancer. The hospital also provides information about prevention, available treatments and the ins and outs of living with the disease.

With an international focus in Latin America and the Caribbean, Cleveland Clinic Florida is committed to helping fight the global battle against all types of cancer and to contributing to funding for research and education.

Zenia Nahleh, MD, Director of Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Maroone Cancer Center, participated in a recent interview and reinforced the need for women and men to regularly conduct breast self-exams.
Dr. Nahleh also said that it is important for everyone to know their genetic history, which could predispose them to the disease. She mentioned that there has been tremendous progress achieved in the treatment of breast cancer over the past 30-40 years.

“Due to advances in screening, early detection and treatment over the past 30 years, a woman’s odds of dying from breast cancer has decreased by one third,” she said. “Campaigns have led to finding gentler, less toxic and more personalised treatment that increased cure rates and improved the quality of life of patients.”

Cleveland Clinic Florida urges all Cayman residents to keep up with regular checkups and self-examinations, and to not to be afraid to reach out if they have any questions or concerns about their health.

About Cleveland Clinic Florida
Cleveland Clinic Florida, located in Weston, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Parkland, is a nonprofit, multi-specialty, academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic Florida has 255 physicians with expertise in 55 specialties. The medical campus is fully integrated and includes diagnostic centers, outpatient surgery and a 24-hour emergency department located in the state-of-the-art hospital. Cleveland Clinic Florida ranked #2 among the best hospitals in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale metro area and eighth in Florida in US News & World Report’s 2017-2018 ranking of Best Hospitals metro area rankings. Cleveland Clinic Florida is an integral part of Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where providing outstanding patient care is based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Physicians at Cleveland Clinic are experts in the treatment of complex conditions that are difficult to diagnose. For more information about Cleveland Clinic Florida, visit www.clevelandclinicflorida.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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IMAGE: Cleveland Clinic Maroone Cancer Center