Breast cancer screening advocate lauds Crisco

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, was lauded by a breast cancer screening advocate Friday at the ceremonial signing of a bill that will limit insurance co-payments for breast ultrasound screenings to $20.

The ceremonial signing included Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and took place at the Hartford Hospital Wellness Center at Blue Back Square in West Hartford.

“We started this effort to provide women with better and more affordable mammogram services nearly 10 years ago, and since then Connecticut has become the leader in the nation in breast health, and thousands of lives have been saved,” said Crisco, who as Senate Chairman of the Insurance Committee has been the point man for changes to insurance coverage of breast mammograms over the past decade in Connecticut.

“We have been on this great odyssey of making lives better for people because that is our mission in the state legislature.” 

Nancy Cappello, the founder and executive director of Are You Dense, is dedicated to informing the public about dense breast tissue and its significance for the early detection of breast cancer. She praised Sen. Crisco today for his ongoing work on behalf of Connecticut women, beginning with her personal story back in 2006.

“Since then Joe has been working with AreYouDense.org to help improve the outcomes for every woman in Connecticut. He is known for this across the country and around the globe,” Cappello said.

Senate Bill 10, “AN ACT CONCERNING COPAYMENTS FOR BREAST ULTRASOUND SCREENINGS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES,” was passed on a unanimous and bipartisan vote of the state legislature in early May, then signed into law on June 6 by Governor Dannel P. Malloy as Public Act 14-97.

The new law prohibits certain health insurance policies from imposing a co-payment of more than $20 for a breast ultrasound screening for which the policies are required to provide coverage.

By law, insurance policies in Connecticut must cover a comprehensive breast ultrasound screening if a mammogram shows heterogeneous or ‘dense’ breast tissue, or if a woman is at an increased risk for breast cancer because of family history, her own breast cancer history, positive genetic testing, or other indications as determined by her physician.



This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Firefighters gearing up to support MDA in CT

To kick off Fill the Boot campaign

WEST HARTFORD - Members of the Connecticut Professional International Association of Firefighters Departments, along with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, will host an event June 18 to celebrate their 60-year partnership and kick off the firefighters' annual Fill the Boot campaign.

The fundraising campaign will benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease living in Connecticut. 

Guest speaker at the press conference will be Peter Carozza, UPFFA President, who will speak about the 60-year partnership as well as the goal set by the IAFF Locals here in Connecticut. 

The press conference will be at West Hartford Fire Station 2, 20 Brace Road.
"Throughout 2014 MDA and fire fighters are celebrating 60 years of proud partnership, joined together in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease, said Chasity Bothman, MDA Executive Director.
 “Firefighters do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group. Here in Connecticut, they spend countless hours every year participating in Fill the Boot drives and at MDA Summer Camp," she said. "We're grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, well-being, and quality of life.”
 
Funds raised through the 2014 Fill the Boot events will help support MDA's programs of worldwide research, specialized health care services, and day-to-day support – which includes sending children affected by muscular dystrophy to a week-long, barrier-free MDA summer camp at The Channel 3 Kids Camp in Andover.

 As the Muscular Dystrophy Association's largest national sponsor, the IAFF fuels MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases. 
The IAFF is a major contributing sponsor of the MDA Show of Strength Telethon, and IAFF contributions from charity baseball games and other local events help support MDA's efforts to raise awareness and provide professional and public education about neuromuscular diseases.

IAFF support for MDA began in 1954 when the organization committed by proclamation to support MDA until a cure is found, and the organization's unwavering commitment to MDA has remained strong to this day. 
The IAFF raised $100,000 for MDA in 1955, and $1 million in 1970, and firefighters continue to raise the bar in their fundraising efforts. In 2013, more than 100,000 fire fighters participated in Fill the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million. 
To date the IAFF has raised $530 million for MDA.

About the IAFF 
The International Association of Fire Fighters represents more than 300,000 professional firefighters and paramedics who protect 85 percent of the nation’s population. More than 3,200 affiliates and their members protect communities in every state in the United States and in Canada.

About MDA
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is the world’s leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neuromuscular diseases. 
It does so by funding worldwide research; by providing comprehensive health care services and support to MDA families nationwide; and by rallying communities to fight back through advocacy, fundraising and local engagement.
Visit mda.org and follow us at facebook.com/mdaconnecticut and @MDAnews. 


This is taken from a press release from MDA in Connecticut.

Pharmacist at Griffin Hospital in Derby honored

 

Griffin Hospital Pharmacist Bekim S. Jashanica, Pharm.D, center, was recently named a 2013 Preceptor of the Year for The University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy.

 
DERBY - Griffin Hospital Pharmacist Bekim S. Jashanica, Pharm.D, of New Haven, was recently named a 2013 Preceptor of the Year for The University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy in West Hartford.

As experiential education professionals, pharmacist preceptors teach students practice-related skills necessary to provide quality pharmacist care.
In addition to serving as teachers, pharmacist preceptors mentor student pharmacists, promoting personal and professional growth.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

 

Cheshire parents' search for son leads to law change (video)

Jan and Bill Smolinski of Cheshire are still looking for answers in the disappearance of their son, Billy, who has been missing for seven years. Peter Casolino/Register

By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo
Naugatuck Valley Bureau Chief
When William Smolinski Jr. disappeared seven years ago, police told his parents to wait three days and then file a missing persons report.
That’s according to his mother, Janice Smolinski of Cheshire, who believes her son might have been found, and the case solved, if Waterbury police had begun searching for him immediately when Billy’s family first contacted them.
Police now say they believe Billy, a Waterbury resident who disappeared Aug. 24, 2004, at the age of 31, was murdered. They have searched for his body several places over the years, such as in Shelton and Seymour, with no success.

Read the full story and watch video here.