{"id":236745,"date":"2025-10-17T13:38:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:38:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=236745"},"modified":"2025-10-17T14:34:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T18:34:39","slug":"uconn-health-cancer-center-team-celebrates-national-mammography-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2025\/10\/uconn-health-cancer-center-team-celebrates-national-mammography-day\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Health Cancer Center Team Celebrates National Mammography Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

For UConn Health\u2019s breast cancer care team, National Mammography Day is more than a single day of recognition, it reflects their ongoing mission to provide hope, innovation, and compassionate care to patients while extending their reach into the community to promote awareness, prevention, and healing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In honor of <\/span>National Mammography Day, physicians, staff, and leadership from <\/span>UConn Health\u2019s Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center<\/span><\/b><\/a> came together to celebrate the dedicated professionals who provide compassionate, high-quality breast care and screening for patients throughout the year.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jose Narvaez, UConn Health Imaging, business office manager, Darren Bonneau, UConn Health Imaging Administrator, Samanatha Abreu, UConn Health Imaging practice relations liason and Lauren Caselli, lead physician assistant, UConn Health Cancer Center, raise awareness at the UConn Health Imaging location<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The day served as both a celebration and a reflection \u2014 a moment to recognize the teamwork and resilience that define UConn Health\u2019s NAPBC accredited <\/span>Breast Program, and the impact of that work across the state. The program brings together experts in breast surgery, radiology, oncology, pathology, nursing, and survivorship care, all collaborating to provide patients with comprehensive, personalized treatment and support from diagnosis through recovery.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond clinical care, the team is deeply involved in <\/span>community outreach and education, working to raise awareness about the importance of early detection and screening. Each October, members of the Breast Cancer Program participate in local events and health fairs, partner with organizations such as the <\/span>American Cancer Society, and engage with the community through initiatives that help make mammography and preventive care more accessible to women throughout Connecticut.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cI appreciate how much the team puts into their work, especially holding up the breast cancer program while we searched for a new breast surgeon,\u201d said <\/span>Dr. Omar Ibrahim<\/strong><\/a>, interventional pulmonologist and service chief of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center. \u201cI honestly don’t say thank you enough.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dr. Omar Ibrahim, UConn Health presents a check to American Cancer Society Erin DiLillo, director of development.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ibrahim was recognized by the <\/span>American Cancer Society (ACS)<\/span><\/b><\/a> for his generous donation to the Cancer Center\u2019s <\/span>Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk<\/span><\/b> team, given in honor of the administrative staff who support the Cancer Center\u2019s mission.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cDr. Ibrahim exemplifies the kind of physician leader who understands that health care is truly a team effort,\u201d said <\/span>Erin DiLillo, director of development for the American Cancer Society. \u201cHis generous donation in honor of the administrative staff supports vital cancer research while recognizing the dedicated professionals who make excellence in patient care possible. We\u2019re deeply grateful for his leadership and for our longstanding partnership with UConn Health.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

UConn Health\u2019s presence at this year\u2019s Making Strides walk was strong, with physicians <\/span>Dr. Yueming Chang<\/span><\/b><\/a>, oncologist <\/span>Dr. Margaret Callahan<\/span><\/b><\/a>, chief, Division of Hematology\/Oncology and the incoming breast cancer surgeon <\/span>Dr. Sunny Mitchell joining staff members to walk, volunteer, and donate in support of breast cancer awareness and research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Erin DiLillo, director of development at the American Cancer Society, Evelyn Wong, nurse navigator, UConn Health, Rosa Agosto, community health worker, UConn Health, Dr. Chang’s son, Dr. Yueming Chang, UConn Health and Kim Hamilton, administrative officer UConn Health at the Making Strides for Breast Cancer walk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The celebration also highlighted <\/span>Chang’s\u00a0award of a <\/span>Connecticut Breast Health Initiative grant<\/span><\/b><\/a> for her research project, <\/span>Affordable CRISPR-Based ctDNA Surveillance of ESR1 Mutations in Patients with HR+\/HER2- Breast Cancer on Aromatase Inhibitors<\/span><\/i>, which aims to make precision cancer monitoring more affordable and accessible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cancer Center\u2019s leadership emphasized that every member of the team \u2014 from technologists and nurses to oncologists and researchers\u00a0plays a critical role in improving outcomes and experiences for patients and survivors.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>To make screening as easy and convenient as possible, UConn Health Imaging<\/strong><\/a> accepts walk-ins has appointments available every day as well as Special Mammogram Screening Days scheduled on:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n