Genetic education can help families reduce risk of hereditary cancers
Approximately 5-10 percent of all cancers are hereditary … individuals are born with an altered gene passed from generation to generation that places them at increased risk of cancer. If you have multiple family members with cancer or have been diagnosed with early-onset cancer (such as breast or colon cancer under age 50), genetic testing can help you assess your risk, take steps to reduce it, catch cancer at an earlier stage (when it is most treatable), or prevent it from occurring altogether. Education and cancer risk assessment is the first step and can be done with or without genetic testing through Sarasota Memorial’s Genetic Education Program, the only one in this region. For information, call (941) 917-2005.

Study: Treat diabetes early and aggressively
It is well known that early treatment for Type 2 diabetes can help slow the progression of this chronic disease. But often when people are first diagnosed, they may be treated with just diet and exercise, when they may fare better with medication as well, a recent study suggests. The study published in Diabetes Care looked at the annual rate of progression of early diabetes in people not treated with medications; it found that 25 percent experienced a worsening of their condition during the study year and revealed those most at risk were younger people and those experiencing weight gain during that first year. Study authors urge diabetics to carefully monitor their blood glucose levels and talk to their physicians about adding medication to their treatment plan if targets are not being met. To learn how to better manage your diabetes, call Sarasota Memorial’s Diabetes Treatment Services at (941) 917-7270, browse our online health calendar for classes and support groups or join our new online diabetes forum on MySpace.

Sarasota Memorial Chief Nursing Officer receives state recognition
Sarasota Memorial Chief Nursing Officer Jan Mauck, RN, BSN, MS, CNAA-BC, won the “Management” Category in Nursing Spectrum’s Florida’s 2008 Nursing Excellence Awards. Mauck was praised as a “dynamic, visionary leader” who promotes the highest standards of professionalism for nurses. Mauck joined Sarasota Memorial in 1975 as an RN on the Orthopedic Nursing Unit and has served as the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer since 2003. She oversees more than 1,200 staff nursing positions. The Nursing Spectrum Nursing Excellence Awards also named Sarasota Memorial Clinical Practice Specialist Rhonda P. Ryan, RN-BC, MSN, a finalist in the “Teaching” Category for Florida. According to Nursing Spectrum, the awards “recognize extraordinary contributions nurses make to their patients, each other, and the profession.