Condell to Hold Flu Shot Clinic, Cancer Awarness Programs

Advocate Condell Medical Center is helping to fight flu and cancer, all at once.

The Libertyville hospital is a holding pair of flu shot clinics that also will serve as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. In addition, registered participants will receive a free colorectal cancer screening kit along with a DVD from the ACS on colon cancer prevention.

A limited number of influenza vaccines will be available for a suggested $10 donation to benefit ACS. The vaccine will be administered by injection to people age 18 and over. The Center for Disease Control recommends that people over 6 months of age receive the vaccine annually.

Participants also will receive free colorectal cancer screening kits, which include instructions on how to perform the test at home. Kits are then returned to the hospital, and results will be available in about one week.

Colorectal cancer is preventable and curable if treated early, but the disease is the third-leading cause of cancer deaths. According to the ACS, regular screening or testing is one of the best ways to help prevent colorectal cancer. Some polyps, or growths, can be found and removed before they have the chance to turn into cancer. Screening can also help find colorectal cancer early, when it is small and more likely to be cured.

The flu clinic fundraisers will be held from 7-11 am on Monday, Oct. 1, at Advocate Condell Medical Center, West Tower, 801 S. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville; and 7-11 am on Monday, Oct. 8, at Advocate Condell’s Gurnee Centre Club, 1405 N. Hunt Club Road, Gurnee.

Registration is required and can be completed by calling HealthAdvisor at 800-323-8622. The registration code for both clinics is 5A05.

Cancer Awareness Effort

The effort is part of a bigger push this fall to raise awareness about cancer risks. Advocate Condell also is sponsoring a series of free community health education lectures, on topics including prostate health, cancer and weight, screening guidelines, breast health, and overall wellness and survivorship. Participants will receive updated information on disease prevention and treatment, and have the opportunity to ask questions of presenting physicians. Giveaways and refreshments also will be available.

The programs include:

• “Prostate Cancer: Know the Facts, Know the Risks,” presented by Raza Khan, MD, Board Certified in Adult and Pediatric Urology, at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, Sept. 18, at Advocate Condell’s Conference Center, 700 Garfield Ave. in Libertyville. Dr. Khan will review the factors that may affect a man’s risk for prostate cancer, discuss the pros and cons of early detection tests, and talk about the latest treatments. A question and answer session will follow Dr. Khan’s lecture. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Call 800-323-8622 and request program 5C44.

• “An Evening of Cancer Wellness,” which includes a physician lecture and a choice of small breakout sessions, from 6-9 pm on Monday, Oct. 8, at Advocate Condell Medical Center’s Conference Center. Michael Cochran, MD, board certified in Oncology and Medical Director of Oncology at Advocate Condell Medical Center, will lecture on acute diagnosis, treatment and after care. After Dr. Cochran’s presentation, guests will choose two of four breakout sessions on the following topics: Social-Emotional Affects of Cancer; Nutrition; Stress Reduction; and Exercise. After breakouts, a panel will be assembled of all clinicians involved for a Q&A. This free program is being presented in partnership with Cancer Wellness Services. Register by calling 847-509-9595.

• “Weight and Cancer,” presented by Jennifer DeBruler, MD, Board Certified in Internal Medicine, at 6:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 11, at Advocate Condell Medical Center’s Conference Center. Of course, no diet or lifestyle can promise full protection against any disease. And for some people, good nutrition, a healthy body weight, and regular exercise may not affect their cancer risk. But if the nutrition and physical activity recommendations are taken as a lifelong commitment, many people can lower their risk of cancer and other diseases. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, of the more than 500,000 cancer deaths each year, one in three is linked to diet and activity habits like being overweight or obese. That’s the same number linked to tobacco use. Dr. DeBruler gives tips on weight management and start eating --- and living --- like a healthy person. A Q&A will follow the lecture. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Call 800-323-8622 and request program 5C45.

• “Should I Get Screened,” presented by Dean Tsarwhas, MD, Board Certified in Oncology, at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Advocate Condell Medical Center’s Conference Center. Cancer screening guidelines can differ dramatically. Should women get mammograms at 40 or 50? Should men have a PSA screen for prostate cancer at all? With so much information available to health consumers, it is easy to get confused. Dr. Tsarwhas will clarify the guidelines and answer questions. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Call 800-323-8622 and request program 5C48.

• “Breast Cancer: Know the Risks, Know the Facts,” presented by Eileen Morrison, MD, Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, at 6:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 25, at Advocate Condell Medical Center’s Conference Center. Learn about the factors that may affect a woman’s risk for breast cancer, get information on early detection tests, and find out about the latest treatments. A Q&A will follow the lecture. The lecture is free, but registration is required. Call 800-323-8622 and request program 5C46.

- Advocate Condell submitted this information.