Each October Oswego Health joins the international campaign to raise awareness of the importance of the early detection of breast cancer.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Oswego Hospital Surgeons Allison Duggan, M.D., and Dawn Holman, MD., encourage women to have a mammogram and clinical breast exam each year. For women who have a mammogram that requires a follow up test, known as a stereotactic breast biopsy, that procedure can be done at Oswego Hospital. From the left are Dr. Duggan and Dr. Holman.

“Dr. Duggan and I encourage women to have a mammogram and clinical breast exam each year,” said Dawn Holman, M.D. Women should also do a breast self exam each month. “The self exam is just as important as a mammogram and the clinical breast exam,” Dr. Allison Duggan said.

The American Cancer Society recommends that women age 40 and older have a yearly mammogram and clinical breast exam. Women who have a mother or sibling who have had breast cancer should consider having these exams before age 40.

Appointments for digital mammograms can be made at both Oswego Hospital and the Lee Medical Building in Fulton. To make an appointment in Oswego, call 349-5540, and in Fulton, call 592-3555.

For women who have a mammogram that requires a follow up test, known as a stereotactic breast biopsy, that procedure can be done at Oswego Hospital. A stereotactic breast biopsy is performed when a mammogram shows an abnormality in the breast such as a suspicious solid mass, an area of abnormal tissue change, or a new mass.

During the procedure, a small incision is made in the breast and a small needle is inserted to remove tissue samples. “The incision is less than a quarter of an inch,” Dr. Holman said. The discomfort is minimal and Dr. Duggan compared it to having a shot at the doctor’s office.

Both physicians said they were impressed with equipment used at Oswego Hospital during the procedure. “It’s the best I have ever worked with when doing this procedure,” Dr. Holman said. Dr. Duggan agreed, “This is the newest devise for doing this procedure and it’s a very state-of-the-art machine.”

The biopsy typically takes 30 minutes and can be done in one of Oswego Hospital’s procedure rooms. “Our patients can go back to work the same day as it’s done with a local anesthetic,” Dr. Duggan said.

Oswego Healthcare system includes the Oswego Hospital, The Manor at Seneca Hill, a skilled nursing facility; Springside at Seneca Hill, a retirement living community; an urgent care center in Fulton, as well as health services centers in Mexico, Parish and now Phoenix. For more information, call (315) 349-5500 or visit oswegohealth.org.

The Fulton District Wide Storytelling Festival was held and storytellers from throughout the district showcased their talents in telling a wide variety of stories. Participants told a folktale, fairytale, myth, legend, tall tale or fable. The stories ranged from spooky legends to hilarious tales and many had a useful moral attached that provided a bit [...]

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The following students are on the Dean’s List for their outstanding academic achievement for the Fall 2009 semester from the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
The criteria for the Dean’s Honors list is a minimum grade point average of 3.5.
Christopher Marnell Mohr — Pennellville
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