April 29, 2016
Hundreds of runners and walkers will raise funds for the Fortunato Breast Health Center during the annual Families Walk & Run for Hope at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital. The popular “Pink Your Pooch” dog costume contest, family friendly events and music by School of Rock return for the event on Saturday, May 7.
The run and the walk will follow the same five-mile course through Port Jefferson and Belle Terre. The run kicks off at 8 am, followed by the walk at 9 am. On-site registration opens at 7 am. Register in advance at www.matherhospital.org/walk or call 631-476-2723 for more information. Sign up to participate, support a walker, a runner or a team or make a general donation at www.matherhospital.com/walk
The annual event attracts breast cancer survivors and their supporters who signed up as an individual or a team with family, friends, co-workers or schoolmates. More than 11,000 women and men in our community this year will receive care at the Fortunato Breast Health Center.
The “Pink Your Pooch” pet costume contest will award prizes to “Best Dressed Owner & Pet” and “Prettiest in Pink.” Photos will be posted on Mather Hospital’s Facebook page for a community vote. Family fun activities will include face painting, temporary tattoos, giant Operation game and balloon sculpting. All registered walkers the day of the event will receive a Tanger Outlet coupon book.
In addition, participants and their supporters can enter for a chance to win a one-of-a-kind dollhouse created by Crafters with a Cause members Betty Baumach, Jane DelPrete, Linda Hallock, Martha Palerma, Kathy Sciacchitano and Virginia Sweeney. Proceeds of the raffle will benefit the Fortunato Breast Health Center. Drawing will take at the event on Saturday, May 7. Tickets are $10 each; 3 for $20. For more information, call 631-476-2723.
The Fortunato Breast Health Center provides state-of-the-art breast healthcare in surroundings that offer a sense of comfort, privacy and the assurance that each patient’s individual needs will be met. Trained healthcare professionals offer mammograms and physical examinations, expert follow-up care, education for patients, families and the community, and breast cancer support groups.
The Center has earned three-year, full accreditation designation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), which is given only to centers that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality breast care and undergo a rigorous review of their performance.
John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is an accredited 248-bed, non-profit community teaching hospital dedicated to providing a wide spectrum of high quality healthcare services to Suffolk County residents, showing compassion and respect and treating each patient in the manner we would wish for our loved ones. Mather has earned the prestigious Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which recognizes healthcare organizations for quality patient care, nursing excellence and innovations in professional nursing practice. Mather also has received nine consecutive top “A” ratings from The Leapfrog Group for patient safety, the only New York State hospital to achieve that distinction and one of only 98 hospitals nationwide to receive an “A” score in each of the twice yearly rating periods. Mather also is one of only seven New York State Hospitals to earn the Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award.