Maimonides kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Pink Runway Fashion Show • Brooklyn Paper

Maimonides Medical Center kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness Month with its 2024 Pink Runway Fashion Show at the Weylin in Williamsburg on Oct. 1, celebrating survivors’ perseverance while raising awareness about the importance of cancer screening and early detection.

The annual event raised funds for Maimonides Breast Cancer Center, Brooklyn’s only fully accredited breast center, which ranks among the top 5% of cancer centers nationally. This year, the event raised $640,000, with all net proceeds dedicated to much-needed radiology imaging equipment, increasing the center’s breast imaging capacity by 20%.

The show kicked off with remarks from Ken Gibbs, president and CEO of Maimonides Health, and Dr. Borgen, who presented this year’s honorees, Jennifer Eisenstadt and Dr. Jessica Torrentee, with the Wings of Healing and Healthcare Excellence awards, respectively.

“It’s our privilege to honor the journeys of our breast cancer patients and survivors,” Gibbs told the crowd. “Together, we are paving the way for more people to join the ranks of these brave women here tonight as breast cancer survivors.”

The 2024 Pink Runway show was inspired by Gustave Klimt’s painting “Tree of Life,” which symbolizes resilience and rebirth while celebrating the beauty of life. A sculpture modeled after the painting adorned the center of the circular runway as 12 breast cancer survivors strutted down the pink carpet, showcasing custom-made dresses designed by Dhinora Montalvo, lead designer and president of Dotti.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. About 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime, making it one of the most common cancers in New York State.

Dr. Patrick Borgen, chair of the Department of Surgery at Maimonides Medical Center and head of the Maimonides Breast Center at the Maimonides Cancer Center, told Brooklyn Paper that the fashion show reaffirmed life and optimism.

“It shows women facing this disease, ‘You will beat this. There’s life after treatment,’” he said, “and so this is really a victory for our patients.”

He stressed the importance of early detection, urging women to get their annual mammograms, as regular check-ups can reduce the chance of dying from breast cancer by 40%. Borgen also encouraged women to seek a second or third opinion if they feel a lump but are dismissed by their physicians.

“Lumps are guilty until proven innocent,” Borgen told Brooklyn Paper. “Nothing is more important than early detection.”

His message for women who are afraid to get a mammogram is, “Being afraid means that you know the risks and you know what it can show, but you want to beat this. A mammogram-detected breast cancer in the United States has a 97% cure rate, so get the mammogram!”

Breast cancer survivors and show models Josephine Vitale and Sharmila Ali told Brooklyn Paper they walked the Pink Runway for everyone battling cancer and to raise awareness about the disease.

Vitale was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, her mother is fighting her second battle with breast cancer.

“It just means a lot to me to keep pushing forward and keep showing everyone that it can be beat once, twice as long as we stick together as a family,” Vitale shared.

Ali was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in March 2022. She was 38 when she discovered a lump, but her doctor dismissed her concerns, saying she was too young for breast cancer.

“I trusted him, you know, it’s my doctor, and I didn’t think much of it,” Ali told Brooklyn Paper.

A year later, the lump had grown. Again, Ali’s doctor told her she was too young to have breast cancer. However, this time, she insisted on undergoing follow-up tests.

While breast cancer rates among younger women remain low, they have increased by 2.2%, now at 6.5 per 100,000 women. Ali urged young women to advocate for themselves, as many doctors dismiss their concerns based on statistics.

“It’s even rare to be diagnosed at stage four,” Ali, who is now cancer-free, said. “But if you know something [is wrong] deep in your heart, you want to make sure that you get those tests and advocate for yourself. Listen to your gut and be your own advocate. Because it’s not something you want to put off. Knowledge is power. Seek a second and third opinion if you need to.”

Vitale and Ali praised Dr. Borgen and his medical team.

“The group, Dr. Borgen, his staff, they always push and strive for us to do better, to always be on our appointments, check-ins, and just a friendly face, and it’s just like a family at this point,” Vitale said.

“They don’t treat you like you’re a number,” Ali added. “He actually took the time to look at my individual chart. He took the time to learn [about] me [and] what my goals were for surgery. Everybody’s like a big, welcoming family.”