Claxton-Hepburn

To our friends, Between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, there's often an absence of extended family. After we've packed the car following a festive picnic and said our goodbyes to aunts, uncles, and cousins, it may be a solid four months before we see them again and enjoy carved turkey around the dining room table. Staying connected with family is a big part of this issue of Living Well. Page 4 is devoted to seasonal affective disorder, a condition that emerges during the fall and winter months. While it's important to take steps to prevent the symptoms, sufferers should also accept help from family when seeking treatment. Along those same lines, the article on page 5 discusses the necessity of assembling a family health history. An awareness of health issues that members have faced in the past may hold the key to your future health, especially regarding conditions such as diabetes, heart health, and mental well-being. As you've likely already seen in our cover story, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center's technological "family" is growing. Our new linear accelerator's arrival is imminent, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this level of quality care to the North Country. Last but not least, our advances in technology will also expand thanks to our acquisition of a new computed tomography (CT) scanner, which you can read about on page 3. I hope you'll take a few moments for your health and continue to live well with Living Well. Sincerely, Mark Webster, FACHE PRESIDENT AND CEO L Giveaway AnnounceMent Find the hidden apple in Living Well and win a Kindle Fire HD. Go to our website or send a postcard with your name, address, and phone number indicating the page number and location of the apple to: Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Attn: Community Relations 214 King Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669 www.claxtonhepburn.org All entries are due by October 31, 2013. One entry per person. Correct entries will be entered into a drawing. Must be at least 18 years old to enter. ClaxtonHepburn employees and their immediate families are not eligible for the drawing. Congratulations to our last issue's winner: Sandra Morrison from De Kalb Junction Did you find the apple in the last issue? It was hidden on page 4! 2 LIVING WELL Cancer Care on a higher level (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) primarily treats areas of the body that are difficult to keep perfectly still due to breathing, such as breasts and lungs. "The Trilogy system can adjust for the slightest movement, even while people are inhaling and exhaling," Sheppard says. "This will allow us to achieve exceptional precision while ensuring patient comfort." Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), an alternative to invasive surgery for difficult-to-reach brain tumors, can destroy cancer cells over the course of a few short sessions. After all sessions of SRS are complete, most patients return to their normal activities within a day or two. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) allows physicians to destroy tumors in areas such as the prostate, spine, liver, and lung. SBRT may consist of as many as five treatments during the course of a week or two. "SRS and SBRT are like performing surgery without a knife," Dr. Gebert says. "The accuracy is incredible." By using Claxton-Hepburn's computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) to guide placement of radiation John W. Gebert, MD beams, each treatment will be precisely planned to target only the tumor. FAST AND FLEXIBLE The incoming Trilogy system's RapidArc® technology will shorten treatment sessions to as brief as two minutes. The system allows Claxton-Hepburn's radiation oncologists to choose the right combination of therapies for each patient. As treatment progresses, physicians will use the Trilogy system's Dynamic Adaptive Radiotherapy (DART™) technology to adjust the amount of radiation to the changing needs of each patient at every session. ADVANCED CANCER CARE, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE One of the primary advantages of receiving cancer care at the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center is the facility's combination of multiple resources under one roof. "Claxton-Hepburn has always maintained the highest level of technology and expertise in the region," Dr. Gebert says. "Now, we will be the only hospital with these advanced capabilities between Syracuse and Burlington." "Fortunately, our patients no longer have to travel out of town to get the appropriate cancer care,"adds Jerry Sheppard, director of the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center. "We are proud to offer patients access to the latest cancer care techniques and technologies." To learn more about cancer treatment options at the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center, visit www.claxtonhepburn.org/cancer. www.claxtonhepburn.org

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