New York City Council Minority Leader James S. Oddo (R- Mid-Island) announced today that the Road to Early Detection, a project of The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) will return to Staten Island to provide free brain tumor screenings in the “Bobby Murcer Mobile MRI Unit” from June 26-30. The Mobile Unit will be parked in the Staten Island Mall parking lot on the Richmond Avenue side. An extremely popular free service, there are several hundred Staten Islanders currently on the waiting list for a free screening. On Saturday, June 26 and Sunday June 27, Staten Islanders will be scanned on a first come, first served, walk in basis from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. On the remaining days, those currently on the waiting list will be contacted to schedule appointments.
Scans take approximately 8 minutes to complete. Those coming for a screening should bring their primary care physician’s contact information so that results can be sent to their primary care physician.
Dr. Patrick J. Kelly, President and Founder of The Brain Tumor Foundation, is pleased to be working with the City Council to bring the Mobile MRI Unit to Staten Island and once again provide this critical public service to the community. “The only way to detect a tumor early is through the use of MRI brain scans. Regrettably, by the time brain tumors become symptomatic, most are incurable. With our best modern treatments, all we can offer is a small gift of time. I am firmly convinced that early detection is the best insurance that treatment will be effective and more lives will be saved.”
Councilman Oddo said, “We have heard the mantra repeated many times in other contexts about the importance of early detection. This is also true of brain tumors. This simple, non-invasive, and free test takes minutes to complete and has the potential to save your life. I urge Staten Islanders to take charge of your own health and get screened.”
With the support of New York’s City Council, corporate and private funding, the Mobile MRI Unit is part of the first ever national campaign promoting early detection of brain tumors. Councilman Oddo has been a strong supporter of this initiative since its inception, having allocated $3,000 to provide free screenings to Staten Islanders in FY 2009, $20,000 in FY 2010, and he has requested an additional $20,000 in the soon to be completed FY 2011 budget.
During 2009 the Mobile Unit was on Staten Island for a total of one month – two weeks in January and two weeks in March. After its five days at the Mall in June it will return at later dates to screen more Staten Islanders.
During the two visits to Staten Island to date, 236 Staten Islanders were scanned in the Mobile Unit. Three brain tumors were detected, along with fifteen other abnormalities that required a follow up.
The Problem:
- Nearly 1 million people in the United States are walking around with a brain tumor and they do not even know it – with 25,000 in New York City.
- Brain tumors are the number 1 cancer killer of children and young adults under the age of 20 and the number 2 cancer killer of males 20-39.
- Adults diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor have an 80% mortality rate in the first year of diagnosis.
- By the time people present with symptoms it is generally too late for successful treatment.
The Solution:
- Complete removal is the best known method for treating deadly brain tumors.
- We have grown accustomed to routinely checking for breast, colon, prostate, and other cancers.
- The only way to detect a brain tumor early is through an MRI brain scan.
- MRI brain scans are completely safe, painless, non-invasive, emit no radiation, are focused on the brain, and take less than 10 minutes.
- MRI brain scans can also detect the early signs of MS and Alzheimer’s Disease.
