In a planning meeting for Millersville University's new breast cancer resource room, from left, Jenny Monn, Hawar Sayed, Dr. Susan Northwall, medical director of MU health services, and Dennis Denenberg go over documents. Denenberg, a professor emeritus at MU, donated money to get the resource room under way in memory of his sister and MU alumna Diana Denenberg Durand, who passed away in 2007 after an 18-year battle with the disease.
It's a small, quiet room, but it will be given new furniture and materials to transform it into a place where visitors could come in and get an education about breast cancer.
Thanks to a $10,000 donation from professor emeritus Dennis Denenberg, Millersville University Health Services will have a new breast cancer resource room dedicated to educate students and the local community about the disease.
"I wanted to start an organization at Millersville that will raise awareness among women, especially those who are of college-age, about breast cancer," said Denenberg.
Denenberg's donation was made in memory of his sister and Millersville alumna, Diana Denenburg Durand.
Durand fought breast cancer for 18 years and passed away in 2007.
Located on the second floor of Health Services, 4 McCollough St., the resource room is designed to promote patient education and wellness.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States.
"Our goal is to educate people about the disease, identify risk factors and recognize opportunities for improved health," said medical director Susan Northwall.
Some renovations will be needed in the space designated for the room but once it's in place, it will offer multimedia resources for students and the community, according to Northwall.
"We are definitely not the first university to do this, but there are only a few that are," she said.
The resource room will not provide medical advice. Rather, the staff will help college women identify resources and will offer referrals.
The space will offer a computer system that will help visitors learn about family history, risk factors for breast cancer and related information.
Northwall said the resources will cover a variety of topics such as prevention, early detection, diagnosis, conventional and alternative treatment options, after care, emotional impact and nutrition.
Northwall also spoke of the Mammacare system, which teaches manual examination of the breasts.
"This place is going to be a living, breathing thing … not like a museum," said Northwall. "We will have small models with simulated lumps in it."
Tumors in the breast tend to grow slowly. These models are designed to help patients detect lumps when they are smaller.
Younger women, she said, generally do not consider themselves to be at risk. However, breast cancer can strike at any age.
"And women of every age should be aware of their personal risk factors," Northwall said.
"Some factors you can't change but others you may be able to control.
"It goes along with healthy living."