A cancer diagnosis isn’t news anyone wants to hear, but for Mary Hall, 53, of Wantagh, the compassionate care she received at NYU Winthrop made all the difference during a difficult time. After being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in October 2015, Hall underwent a double mastectomy and six months of chemotherapy. Though cancer is not an experience she would wish on anyone, Hall said she had the best experience possible by coming to NYU Winthrop’s Breast Health Center.
“My life was in their hands and I had such great care,” said Hall, who has finished treatment and continues to be monitored by her doctors.
Hall was vigilant about breast exams due to her family history of breast cancer. So when she felt a suspicious lump while waiting for a massage in September of 2015, she called her doctor right away. Her OB/GYN sent her to NYU Winthrop’s Breast Imaging Center, where the findings of her mammogram and sonogram were found to be abnormal. A biopsy performed the next day confirmed that Hall had breast cancer.
“I was treated with tremendous compassion and care,” said Hall, who recalled how quickly the NYU Winthrop team coordinated her care. “There was such good follow-up from the doctors and they shared information with each other so well.”
In one instance, Hall had to travel from one specialist to another, located just across the street. In the few minutes it took her to walk there, the first office had already communicated absolutely everything necessary for her care plan.
“Your mind is spinning in situations like these, and the care at NYU Winthrop made all the difference,” she said.
NYU Winthrop’s Breast Health Center provides a collaborative approach to care delivered by a multidisciplinary team of board certified specialists who offer risk assessment, diagnosis, evaluation and management of a wide range of malignant and benign breast conditions, as well as the latest treatments in surgery, radiation and medical oncology. Additionally, a licensed Breast Health Center Social Worker and a Breast Nurse Navigator provide personal assistance to patients and their families from pre-diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
For more information about NYU Winthrop’s Breast Health Center, call 516-663-3887 or visit www.nyuwinthrop.org.
—Submitted by NYU Winthrop’s Breast Health Center
