SERINO ANNOUNCES END TO RADIATION TREATMENTS, THANKS COMMUNITY FOR TREMENDOUS OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT

HYDE PARK, NY—In July, Senator Sue Serino announced that she was scheduled to complete 20 rounds of radiation treatment after undergoing a successful lumpectomy to treat early stage breast cancer. Today, Senator Serino is sharing the news that she has successfully completed the last of her scheduled radiation treatments and is expressing her gratitude for the outpouring of support she has received since announcing her diagnosis.

In talking openly about her diagnosis and treatment, Serino has made it her mission to use her experience to help raise awareness about the importance of maintaining your routine health screenings, even during this uncertain time.

“I cannot thank our community enough for the tremendous outpouring of support and well-wishes during this time,” said Senator Sue Serino. “Every card, call, email and gesture of kindness was a humbling reminder of just how special our community really is and how fortunate I am to be a part of it. I'm feeling better than ever and am excited to be looking toward the future."

Serino continued saying, “I have always been open and transparent with our community, but when it came to this personal experience, I felt it was even more important to talk about it publicly. I never thought twice about putting off my routine health screenings—especially my mammograms—always putting family and work first, and I knew I was not alone in that habit. My early diagnosis made all the difference in my course of treatment and served as a critically important reminder that we need to do all we can to ensure our loved ones are taking the time to schedule and follow through with their own health screenings. This experience has not been easy, but I am grateful to have the opportunity to be able to encourage others to make their own health a priority."

Specifically, Serino was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a form of non-invasive breast cancer. While she underwent a successful lumpectomy on June 2^nd, the tumor did begin to spread before it was removed, so Senator Serino underwent radiation treatments five days per week for four weeks that began on Monday, July 13^th and ran until Friday August 7^th.

Senator Serino has maintained her active public schedule as she underwent the radiation treatment, but she wants others to know that personal health always needs to come first saying, “Many of us—women especially—often think we have to ‘do it all.’ I was very fortunate that my early diagnosis allowed me to undergo a very manageable form of treatment that allowed me to keep most of my schedule intact, but I made it a point to listen to my body, rest when I needed to rest, and give myself time to heal. You cannot take care of others until you take care of yourself, especially when it comes to your physical or mental health. Getting that message out there, especially during this trying time, is critically important.” 

Senator Serino is expected to undergo a follow-up scan in about six weeks to ensure that there is no trace of the cancer remaining and will update the community once again at that time. 

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