Merit Family,

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends this week, I want to use this newsletter as a way to provide additional information and resources surrounding access to breast cancer care as well as patient safety tips during the pandemic. Please feel free to share this information with your loved ones.

In addition, November is officially the start of flu season in the Northern Hemisphere. For those in the Merit family who live in this region, I'm including an informational chart that will help you compare flu and COVID-19 symptoms. Please remember that this is only a tool. If you are feeling ill, please contact your healthcare provider for further guidance.

COVID-19 AND BREAST CANCER TREATMENT:

HOW CAN I STAY SAFE?

With cases of COVID-19 surging in some areas, cancer patients find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Many may be wondering what to do if their breast cancer appointments are cancelled, whereas others may be questioning how to safely attend appointments that stay scheduled.

Breastcancer.org provides a helpful podcast called "COVID-19 and Breast Cancer Treatment" with Dr. Brian Wojciechowski, Breastcancer.org's Medical Adviser. Here he offers information on how breast cancer patients can be as safe as possible during the pandemic. 

Although each patient is unique and should talk to his/her doctor, this podcast provides general rules that oncologists follow. Listen in or find the full transcript here.

COVID-19 AND PAYING FOR BREAST CANCER CARE:

RESOURCES FOR FINANCIAL HELP

Many have lost their jobs due to COVID-19 or are still recovering financially after getting back to work. Explore resources on how to obtain financial assistance for breast cancer care if you find yourself or someone you love in need of help.

BREAST CANCER RISK FACTORS: TIPS FOR PREVENTION

While many things about breast cancer are out of our control, there are ways we may be able to reduce the risk. Avoiding the following may help:

Eating Unhealthy Foods  Diet is thought to be partly responsible for about 30% to 40% of all cancers. No food or diet can prevent you from getting breast cancer. But some foods can make your body the healthiest it can be, boost your immune system, and help keep your risk for breast cancer as low as possible. Learn more.

Smoking Smoking causes a number of diseases and is linked to a higher risk of breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women. Research also has shown that there may be a link between very heavy second-hand smoke exposure and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. Read more about the connection between smoking and breast cancer as well as how it can increase complications from breast cancer treatment.

Please talk to me if you need help quitting. Our health services offer a smoking cessation program, and signing up is easy.

Drinking Alcohol The holidays are upon us—a time when drinking excessively may be more common. However, research consistently shows that drinking alcoholic beverages—beer, wine, and liquor—increases a woman's risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol can increase levels of estrogen and other hormones associated with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Alcohol also may increase breast cancer risk by damaging DNA in cells. Find out more here.

Please talk to me if you feel you need help controlling your drinking or if you want to find ways to drink less. I'm here to help.

COVID-19 VERSUS FLU: TRACKING YOUR SYMPTOMS

Flu season is officially here in the Northern Hemisphere. Not only do we have the flu to contend with, we also have COVID-19. Sometimes their symptoms can overlap. How can you tell the difference? Use this guide to help you.

Please remember that this is only a tool. If you are feeling ill, please contact your healthcare provider for further guidance.

HEALTHY RECIPE OF THE WEEK

To help you get through the season in a COVID-19-friendly way, in each newsletter I'll provide a new healthy recipe to try. This week?

Maya's Wonder Juice Sometimes it's difficult to eat all our recommended fruits and veggies. That's where fresh juice can help. This recipe is filled with carrots, spinach, apples, and more, providing a wide range of nutrients our bodies need to function and ward off sickness. Find the full list of ingredients here.  Please remember that juicing isn't a substitute for eating daily meals. However, it can be a great addition to a healthy diet. Try adding a glass of this juice to a nutritious breakfast or lunch meal.

SILVER LINING STORY

It seems like every day (COVID-19 or no) we're bombarded with frightening and worrisome news. But the truth of the matter is, good things are happening all around us—we just have to look.

This week's Silver Lining Story comes to us from Kentucky, USA, where a stray kitten was found wandering the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.  Crew members rescued the cat, cleaned it up, and took care of it overnight. The kitten, now named Boeing, was adopted by an airport employee the following day.  Read the purr-fect ending to this story here.

UPDATE ON COVID-19 AT MERIT

We've now identified 174 cases of COVID-19 among the Merit family of approximately 5,900 (142 in the United States, 16 in Mexico, four in Sales-EMEA, six in Ireland, two in Sales-LAM, one in The Netherlands, one is Sales-APAC, one in Brazil, and one in South Africa). Employees are recovering at home or at the hospital. Many employees who have recovered have returned to work.

All facilities have implemented stringent COVID-19 protection measures to prevent any spread of the virus among Merit employees.

The Merit Care Clinic is now offering a rapid COVID-19 test for people having symptoms. Please call the Merit Care Clinic to see if you're eligible for this type of testing.

Please visit the Merit Metro (for employees who have Merit email addresses) or www.merit.com/covid-19-response-resource-page/ for the most updated information on Merit and COVID-19.

Please stay safe. Please stay positive (and keep smiling from 6 feet). I look forward to sharing more information with you soon.

Regards,

Dr. Nicole Priest, MD

Merit Medical Chief Wellness Officer

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