The following information was submitted by state Sen. Joseph Crisco Jr’s Office.
State Sen. Joseph Crisco Jr. and others celebrated the work of Are You Dense Inc. for their efforts in encouraging the early detection and treatment of breast cancer, especially in women with dense — less fat, more fibrous and glandular tissue — breasts.
Crisco received the first “Champion of Exposing the Secret Award” from the 2010 MusicFEST; Sen. Crisco has been a national leader in promoting and passing public policy legislation to help detect and treat breast cancer.
“We have 27 other states across America that have followed Connecticut’s lead on dense breast tissue thanks to Joe’s great leadership,” said Nancy M. Cappello, the executive director and founder of Are You Dense. “Joe Crisco has been a great, great advocate for breast health in Connecticut.”
Among his many accomplishments in the field Crisco has most recently helped write and pass into law public policies requiring insurance companies to cover an ultrasound or an MRI for women with dense breast tissue, which can obscure cancerous tumors in an otherwise standard mammogram.
He also pushed policies requiring insurance companies to pay for a three-dimensional breast mammogram called tomosynthesis, which has been shown to detect 40 percent more invasive breast cancers.
“Nancy and her group have been great partners in the fight to provide more and better detection and treatment for breast cancer in women,” Crisco said,”and I always enjoy the music and camaraderie of like-minded people who are doing good for our mothers and our sisters, our wives and our daughters. It was a great night!”
Receiving this year’s Champion Award was Dr. Julie Gershon, a breast radiologist from Avon, for her education campaigns across the state on breast health and the impact of dense breast tissue on missed, delayed and advanced stage breast cancer.
Jan Kritzman, a breast cancer survivor turned patient advocate, was awarded the Esther Award.
