Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital celebrated the 15-year anniversary of the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center with recognition from local public officials and the community.

“This celebration brings back great memories,” said Roger E. Seaver President and CEO of Henry Mayo. “When great professionals, great supporters, and the staff and technology come together, you can develop healthcare as we’ve done here.”

Named in memory of Sheila R. Veloz by  a donation from her husband, the late Tom Veloz, and seeded through the efforts of Wayne and Dianne Crawford and Don and Cheri Fleming via the Crawford-Fleming Golf Invitational.

Since its inception, the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center has seen more than 166,000 patients over a 15-year span in the Santa Clarita Valley.

“This center is yours, it is ours. It is funded by the community, it’s staffed by members of our community, and it serves our women,” said Dr. Anjali Date, breast radiologist.

Assemblyman Dante Acosta, Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean and Councilmember Bill Miranda, as well as representatives from Congressman Steve Knight, Senator Scott Wilk and Supervisor Kathryn Barger, honored the 15 years of service to the community.

The Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center was created through the experiences of breast cancer survivors, patients and their families, according to Henry Mayo.

The center’s goal is to improve access to breast imaging services by making it easier for women to have their annual mammograms, and to reduce the anxiety associated with breast cancer detection, according to their website.

The imaging center offers Hologic 3D digital mammography machines and diagnostic workstations for higher image quality that enables early detection while being able to look at multiple layers of breast tissue – helping to detect cancer earlier, according to Henry Mayo.

Sheila R. Veloz has a “holistic” approach with surgeons and pathologists present during a surgery, to help ensure all the cancer is removed.

At the same time, plastic surgeons work in the same operating room to enhance cosmetic results and reduce recovery time.

Oncologists and radiologists also work closely together to plan the best course to reduce the possibility of cancer in the future, according to Henry Mayo.

For more information about the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center visit the website here.

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