On November 13 and 16, 2017 SHAREing & CAREing presented our Be a Friend to Your Mother outreach programs for Maspeth High School. The program was presented in 12 separate classes over the course of two days. Health and Physical Education faculty and staff at Maspeth High School attended the program. Over 1,000 students, faculty and staff attended the program which is an annual tradition at this school.

The program was developed and facilitated by Program Manager Merryl Reichbach, LCSW, ACE and Consultant Fran Smith, RN and survivor volunteer Mercedes Pinzino. Our curriculum focused on providing information about cancer, proactive strategies to decrease breast cancer risk factors, and the importance of communicating cancer screening and other health care information with family members.

The program was well-received. Many students have had personal experience with cancer and their questions and attentiveness reflected this. Students participated actively in discussion and made use of the opportunity to learn and perform breast and testicular self-exams on models while guided and supervised by staff.

All faculty and staff at the high school received DOH Breast Cancer and Women’s Health pamphlets, bilingual SHAREing & CAREing brochures, and other health handouts were distributed. All students also received literature on contacting staff at SHAREing & CAREing to help family members access free mammograms and other health services through Elmhurst Hospital and the BEAT program at Mt. Sinai Hospital.