NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Annual “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Pink Lemonade” event honored breast cancer patients
Oct 20, 2026
Brooklyn, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County hosted its annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month Celebration Event, bringing together patients, survivors, caregivers and healthcare professionals to honor those impacted by breast cancer and highlight the importance of education, support and community.
The event featured educational presentations, patient testimonials, a panel discussion and cultural performances held under the theme “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Pink Lemonade.” The celebration recognized the strength and resilience of breast cancer patients and survivors while acknowledging the important role caregivers and healthcare professionals play throughout the cancer journey.
The program included remarks from hospital leadership, a spiritual reflection and a moment of silence, followed by dance performances, and personal reflections from individuals who have experienced the breast cancer journey. Healthcare professionals from the hospital’s Comprehensive Breast Center and other clinical departments also shared their expertise, highlighting different aspects of breast cancer care, including oncology, surgery, radiology, palliative care and genetic counseling.
The event also featured educational activities along with raffles and games, creating an opportunity for attendees to connect, learn and celebrate the breast cancer community.
Observed each October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month emphasizes the importance of awareness, early detection and access to care. Through this annual celebration and other events throughout the month, Kings County Hospital recognizes the experiences of patients and families affected by breast cancer and reinforces its commitment to providing compassionate care and support throughout diagnosis, treatment and survivorship.
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us of the importance of early detection, equitable access to care, and continued support for survivors,” said Sheldon McLeod, Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “Today, we honor their journeys and reaffirm NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County’s commitment to delivering exceptional, compassionate care to every patient we serve.”
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity not only to raise awareness, but to celebrate the strength, resilience, and courage of the patients and survivors who inspire us every day,” said J. Jaime Alberty, MD, FACS, Director of the Comprehensive Breast Center and Director of Breast Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “At Kings County, we are privileged to be part of their journeys, and we remain committed to ensuring that every patient in our community has access to compassionate, comprehensive, and high-quality breast cancer care. Today is about honoring their stories, celebrating their victories, and reminding them that they never walk this journey alone.”
“Our annual breast cancer awareness event is a truly joyful and meaningful occasion, and I feel honored to be part of it,” said Kseniya Roudakova, MD, FACS, Breast Surgeon. “As a breast surgeon, I often meet women during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. To see them come together, celebrate their resilience, ad embrace life with such strength and courage is incredibly inspiring. This even is a powerful reminder that no one has to face breast cancer alone, and that the strength, love and support of a community can make an immeasurable difference at every stage of the journey.”
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Alexis Davis, Chief Communications Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, davisa34@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 639-bed acute care teaching hospital located in Central Brooklyn. Among our highly specialized programs are a Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Room, Level 3 Perinatal Center, Heart Health Center, Stroke Center, Sickle Cell Program, Behavioral Health Center, and Diabetes Education Center of Excellence. Many of our programs have received national recognition, including our cardiac, stroke, and diabetes services. The hospital offers a broad array of primary and specialty care, including practices in neuroscience, orthopedics, urology and cardiology. Annually, our ambulatory care practices see well over 500,000 visits and more than 150,000 visits in the Behavioral Health outpatient program, in addition to close to 23,000 inpatient discharges. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831 and is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/kingscounty and stay connected on Facebook at facebook.com/KingsCountyHosp or X at @KingsCountyHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.