Westport, CT - The Westport Library Medical Series returns on Tuesday, June 3, with Dr. Lisa Phuong and Dr. Jeanne Capasse visiting the Library’s Trefz Forum to discuss the exciting progress in the diagnostics and therapeutics of breast cancer.
Phuong is a board-certified medical oncologist at Nuvance Health; she will discuss the medical aspects of breast cancer care. Capasse, a board-certified breast surgeon specializing in breast cancer at Nuvance Health, will focus on surgical approaches and reconstructive surgery of patients with breast cancer.
The Westport Library Medical Series is presented by Andrew Wilk, the five-time Emmy Award winner and former producer of Live from Lincoln Center, and will be moderated by longtime Westport internist Dr. Robert Altbaum.
After the talk, there will be time provided for questions from the audience.
The event is free to attend. Click here to register.
The Westport Library Medical Series is an opportunity for the community to learn about important medical issues, aiming to provide both practical and thought-provoking information that can help individuals navigate the complex world of medicine.
The topic for this year's series is cancer, a word that strikes fear and anxiety in everyone. Fortunately, there have been remarkable advances in the field of oncology. We are witnessing a revolution in cancer care that is allowing patients to live longer, healthier, and even experience cures from previously fatal cancer.
The first event in this year’s series took place on Tuesday, April 22, and focused on advances in cancer research. The guest was Dr. Richard Frank, system chief for clinical and translational cancer research at Nuvance Health, who discussed how chemotherapy, targeted DNA treatment, and immunotherapy have transformed the cancer treatment landscape.
The third and fourth sessions will both be held in the fall, focusing on prostate and urological cancer and advances in lymphoma and leukemia, respectively. More information on those two events will be coming soon.
About the Speakers
Lisa Phuong is a medical oncologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Connecticut, and her hematology/oncology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y. Phuong incorporates evidence-based medicine, clinical research, and compassionate care into her daily practice at the Whittingham Cancer Center in Norwalk. She helps patients understand the biology of their disease, as well as treatment options based on the most recent research developments and clinical studies. She also believes it is important to address patient challenges, including treatment-related side effects, financial concerns, and the psychological and emotional impact of being diagnosed with cancer.
Phuong is the principal investigator of several clinical trials investigating new drugs, including targeted therapies and immunotherapies for breast cancer. She has had several peer-reviewed articles and abstracts published, as well as poster presentations at national cancer conferences. Phuong is an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Jeanne Capasse is a surgeon specializing in breast diseases and a medical director of the Smilow Family Breast Health Center in Norwalk. A native Westporter, Capasse received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Cornell University, followed by her medical degree at Weill Cornell in New York. She has been practicing in Norwalk for 30 years.
Robert Altbaum is a recently retired physician who practiced as an Internist in Westport for 40 years. He graduated from New York University, followed by Harvard Medical School, and completed his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and Yale University. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatrics.
For the past 40 years, he has enjoyed caring for the people of Fairfield County in the group practice, Internal Medicine Associates of Westport. He was awarded Fairfield County and Connecticut’s Top Doctor award for 24 consecutive years.
Currently retired, he continues to teach medical residents at Norwalk Hospital and coordinates the Andrew Wilk Westport Library Medical Series. He also plays in the (nearly) all-physician rock band DNR, which will be performing a fundraising concert at the Library on Saturday, June 14; purchase your tickets here.
Event Information at a Glance
Andrew Wilk Presents The Westport Library Medical Series: Advances in Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Tuesday, June 3
7 pm
Trefz Forum, The Westport Library
About The Westport Library
Founded in 1886, built in 1908, and transformed in 2019, The Westport Library is one of the most active and innovative public libraries in the nation, devoted to enriching the intellectual and creative lives of the community. Among its many highlights are a full collection of books for children, teens, and adults; an engaging and colorful Children’s Library; a MakerSpace; a Library of Things; a Seed Library; a robust café and store; and professional art installations that rotate throughout the year. The Westport Library is also home to Verso Studios, replete with an SSL hybrid analog sound studio and broadcast control suite featuring a state-of-the-art console and six robotic cameras, and the Trefz Forum, an open, flexible space that can accommodate up to 600 patrons and features an 18-foot video wall, 35-foot stage, state-of-the-art sound, and theatrical lighting. Situated in the heart of downtown Westport overlooking the scenic Saugatuck River, The Westport Library annually hosts StoryFest, the largest literary festival in Connecticut, and VersoFest, its multi-day music and media festival. Above all, the Library strives to serve the whole community as a vibrant gathering spot where people of all ages come to seek information, gain knowledge, exchange ideas, and share experiences. For more information, visit westportlibrary.org.