Ellen's Run

"I’m writing to express my sincere gratitude for the treatment I received for breast cancer at Southampton Hospital.

"Despite being advised on numerous occasions to be treated further west, I chose to be treated in Southamptonfrom start to finish. This decision was largely based
on the care I received in the beginning stages
of my cancer treatment from the doctors in Southampton
and The [Ellen Hermanson] Breast Center.

"Being diagnosed and treated for cancer was a very frightening time for me and my loved ones. The doctors and caregivers affiliated with Southampton Hospital helped make this journey a relatively easy one. In fact,
my 9-year-old daughter was just overheard responding to a friend who,
when she heard about her mother’s cancer and the treatment,
said how sorry she was and what a difficult year it must have been,
to which my daughter responded:
“No, it wasn’t that bad.”

"I want to especially mention Dr. Valdez and Dr. Gluck, both of whom
went beyond the call of duty during my care. Dr. Valdez’s gentle
compassion knew no bounds. The way Dr. Gluck
handled my case made me feel like I was special, if not the only patient
he had. I’ve been known to say many times this year,
'If you’re gonna get breast cancer, let it be in the Hamptons.'"

—J.C.

Left to right, Representative Tim Bishop, State Senator Kenneth LaValle, Julie Ratner,
Leora Moreno, Emily Levin (Ellen Hermanson's sisters and daughter) and
Dr. Edna Kapenhas-Valdes, the breast center's medical director

Julie Ratner and Southampton Hospital President Bob Chaloner

Southampton Mayor Mark Eppley
addresses the crowd

Roz Sann and Blossom Gluck chat with Emily Levin. Behind them is Suffolk County Legislator Jay Schneiderman

Hugo and Leora Moreno beneath a picture
of Ellen Hermanson

Ellen's Run commits to provide
funding for the new
Ellen Hermanson Breast Center
at Southampton Hospital and kicks off
its campaign with a check for $150,000

When breast cancer strikes, excellent care should be close to home. Help us make that possible for women on the East End.

The new Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Southampton Hospital was officially named on January 12, 2009. When it opens in August, the center will be the first single, comprehensive facility to provide state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment, as well as educational and support services, to the women on Long Island’s South Fork.

The Ellen Hermanson Foundation, a longtime supporter of Southampton Hospital’s breast health program, has pledged funding for the construction. Our support for Southampton Hospital over the years has provided funding for technology, including a Mammotome® Breast Biopsy System, a Kodak Multiloader Processor, a Computer-Aided Detection System, a Full-Field Digital Mammography unit and the Multicare upgrade package for the hospital’s Stereotactic Breast Biopsy System. We have also supported the expansion of the hospital's pain management program, incorporating mind-body techniques, for breast cancer patients.

The new Breast Center, almost triple the size of the old center, will be the only facility of its kind on Eastern Long Island, where the rates of breast cancer diagnosis and mortality are among the highest in the state. It has been formally designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology, fully accredited with technology necessary for early detection and treatment.

The design of the new center will ensure total patient privacy. An entrance independent of the hospital’s main lobby will lead to a reception area and large waiting room. All breast-related services will now be located in the new area, including rooms for mammography, ultrasound, stereo-biopsy, and Dexa-Scan (bone densitometry). Private offices, a conference room, reading room, post-biopsy room, and dressing rooms will be included. A boutique with items of interest to breast cancer patients will also be part of the configuration.

The new Breast Center will also offer an integrative approach to managing pain, symptoms and stress related to illness through programs such as yoga, nutrition, massage therapy and relaxation techniques.

The new Ellen Hermanson Breast Center was named in memory of Ellen Hermanson, an activist and advocate who channeled her journalistic talents to become a forceful voice for breast cancer patients and their families. Completion of the center as envisioned will require $1 million in funding. Donors who contribute $5,000 or more for the center will be recognized there on a “wall of honor.”