Watertown, New York ----- Proceeds from one of the most
unique fundraising events in the North Country will help enhance cancer
diagnosis and treatment technology at Samaritan Medical Center.
One
Night, One Diamond is an annual Samaritan Auxiliary fundraising event
to benefit healthcare services and programs at Samaritan Medical
Center. On Saturday, February 11th, event sponsors and participants
will come together at the Black River Valley Club for a magical evening
of dining, dancing, and a chance to win an exquisite half-carat diamond
from Waterbury Fine Jewelers. During the event, each couple is given
one chance to choose the real diamond from among cubic zirconia.
“The
suspense surrounding the diamond selection during the event is what
makes it so exciting, but this year, we have built on that
excitement,” explains Irene Carman, co-chair of the One Night,
One Diamond Planning Committee. “This is the fourth year that the
Samaritan Auxiliary has held the event with the help of generous
community sponsors, and our list of sponsors has grown tremendously for
this year’s event. In addition, we are showcasing two new pieces
of equipment that will be purchased with the proceeds from the event.
This enables our sponsors and event participants to see exactly where
their contributions are going.”
One piece of equipment,
the Gamma Finder, is a wireless probe that detects the location of the
sentinel lymph node during cancer surgery, reducing the number of nodes
and amount of tissue removed unnecessarily. Located in different areas
of the body’s circulatory system, lymph nodes act as the
body’s filtration system and assist with fluid balance.
Throughout the body, several clusters of adjacent lymph nodes are
present and can be involved when cancer cells spread, or metastasize,
from the primary cancer site. In breast cancer patients, for example,
the lymph nodes that are located near the armpit may be involved and
must be tested to determine if the cancer has metastasized from the
breast into the lymph nodes. The sentinel node, sometimes referred to
as the “marker node,” is the first node in a series of
lymph nodes. If it is not cancerous, then the remaining nodes do not
require removal.
“Cancer cells can be carried to lymph
nodes by tissue fluid called lymph, which periodically passes through
the lymph nodes. The Gamma Finder helps map the flow of lymph through
vessels, called lymphatics, and determines which node filters the lymph
first,” explains Jan K. Turcotte, M.D., a local breast surgeon.
“If the lymph nodes are affected, the cancer is found in the
first nodes to filter the lymph. The Gamma Finder allows us to select a
few nodes for removal and testing instead of having to remove all of
the nodes. This results in a smaller incision and faster return to
normal shoulder movement, which reduces the risk of permanent
postoperative arm swelling called lymphedema.”
“The
benefit to the patient is enormous,” continues Dr. Turcotte.
“Removal of fewer lymph nodes means less swelling and discomfort,
increased range of motion and function in the affected area.”
The
second piece of equipment to be funded by the proceeds from the One
Night, One Diamond event is the Mammotome Breast Biopsy System.
Utilized during a procedure that is performed in the radiology
department, this equipment will assist physicians with breast biopsies
while reducing scarring, procedure time, and recovery time for the
patient. The Mammotome features a probe that is inserted into a
quarter-inch incision (compared to a 2-4 inch incision from open
surgery) in the breast and removes tissue samples for examination and
biopsy.
“For a woman, undergoing a breast biopsy
and facing the possibility of breast cancer is a very emotional and
overwhelming experience,” says local breast surgeon Darrell
Carpenter, MD. “The smaller incision, less scarring and immediate
recovery available with the Mammotome technology can help make this
experience less physically traumatic for her. Less injury to the breast
tissue makes future mammography screening more reliable. Additionally,
the tissue samples we collect using the Mammotome are just as reliable
as open surgical biopsies and three times more accurate than core
needle biopsies in the diagnosis of conditions associated with early
breast cancer.” The radiologists at Samaritan are already trained
in this modern technique and only await the availability of the
equipment. Dr. Turcotte also has experience with the Mammotome and
agrees that this technique is reliable and saves many women from having
to undergo more invasive surgery.
Numerous sponsors have
stepped forward to support the Samaritan Auxiliary’s only
community-sponsored fundraiser. DealMaker Auto Group is the Hosting
Event Sponsor for One Night, One Diamond. Other sponsorship levels
include Event Sponsors, Diamond Sponsors, and Ruby Sponsors. Several
community businesses, organizations, physicians, and individuals have
been enlisted as sponsors to ensure the success of the event.
“This
will be the first year that event sponsors have been enlisted to make
the event even more successful. We are truly pleased by the community
support of this event, which is demonstrated by the number of sponsors
who are on board,” concludes Susan Webb, event co-chair.
“The generosity of these sponsors will greatly enhance the cancer
diagnosis and treatment services available at Samaritan Medical
Center.”
The sponsor line-up is as follows:
HOSTING EVENT SPONSOR
DealMaker Auto Group
EVENT SPONSORS
Northern Radiology Associates
Daniel J. Weber, M.D.
Jeffrey D. Way, M.D.
Patrick J. Lanigan, M.D.
Daniel F. Nattell, M.D.
Daniel S. Gray, M.D.
Dean J. Phillips, D.O.
Robert G. Blackstock, M.D.
Boun Geck Taing, M.D.
Charles L. Roche, M.D.
New York Air Brake Corporation
Renzi Foodservice
North Country Surgical Specialists
Leo J. Gosselin, Jr. M.D., F.A.C.S. and Darrell W. Carpenter, M.D., F.A.C.S.
DIAMOND SPONSORS
Dan DeBlasio, MD and Alan Tuttle
HSBC
Key Bank
Kinney Drugs Foundation
Merck
North Country Emergency Medicine Consultants
Jan K. Turcotte, MD
Watertown Savings Bank
Anonymous
RUBY SPONSORS
Richard Baker
Cleveland Services
Comprehensive Women’s Health
Conboy, McKay, Bachman & Kendall, LLP
Widrick Auto Sales
One
Night, One Diamond is being held on Saturday, February 11th from 6:30
– 11 p.m. at the Black River Valley Club in Watertown. Tickets
are $125 per couple, which includes dinner, dancing and an opportunity
to select the real diamond. Music will be provided by The Trillium Trio
and Kommand Performance. For more information, to make a donation, or
to receive an invitation to the event, please contact Jane Schmitt at
785-4479 or 785-9127. Responses are requested by February 1st.
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