The Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) program, Montefiore Einstein Department of Radiology and MECC breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancer screening programs collaborated to provide educational materials, screening program information, nutritional guidance, free snacks and giveaways to those who attended.
In 2022, Montefiore Einstein performed 67,374 prostate, breast and colorectal cancer screenings. Montefiore Einstein started participating in Cancer Screen Week in 2018, and the program has grown exponentially since then, thanks to outreach efforts with churches, neighborhood groups and other community organizations.
“Education is the best power you can have over your health, and our aim is to make sure our community has the best information available,” said Shirin Lalezari, Research Specialist, Neurosurgery, Montefiore Einstein. “The incidence of cancer is equivalent among different communities but the access to healthcare is not.”
Some screenings, like colonoscopies for colorectal cancer, can prevent cancer from developing by allowing doctors to remove precancerous tissue, polyps or other abnormalities. Early detection also leads to better survival rates and health outcomes for all cancers, which is especially important in the Bronx.