Hall-DiGioia Center for Breast Care
Physicians affiliated with Englewood Hospital; Overlook Hospital-Atlantic Health & Jersey City Medical Center-RWJBarnabas.
Be Safe - Be Sure Get a Mammogram!
Office Locations in Summit and Jersey City
Summit Office
Jersey City Office
Jersey City Office
Medical Arts Center 1
33 Overlook Road
Suite 205
Summit, New Jersey 07901
All visits by appointment only.
Call (908) 522-3200 or 908 522-4500
Fax (908) 522-1222
Jersey City Office
Jersey City Office
Jersey City Office
Our new address in Jersey City
2 Journal Square
Second floor
All visits by appointment only.
Call (908) 522-3200 or 908 522-4500
Fax (908) 522-1222
Our 2022 Breast Cancer Survivors Support Group Holiday Party
Tuesday, December 13th at the Brighteside Tavern
Starting at 5:00 PM 141 Bright Street - Jersey City
Buffet dinner
Enjoy the food.
Featuring Dr. Julies Brother Dominic on the Piano doing Holiday Mustic and Christmas Carols
Seating is limited all attending must pre-register with and RSVP to Zoraida at 973-294-9031. Additional guests are $50. Please limit guests so more survivors can attend.
Our regular meetings will resume at 2 Journal Square on Tuesday, January 10th at 5:00 PM
About Our Physicians
Julie M. DiGioia, M.D. F.A.C.S.
Dr. Julie DiGioia is an experienced breast cancer surgeon with offices in Summit and Jersey City, New Jersey. She is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Overlook Hospital, Englewood Hospital and Jersey CIty Medical Center.
Dr. DiGioia was born and raised in Jersey City and is a graduate of St. Peter's University and currently serves on its Board of Trustee's. Dr. DiGioia received her medical degree from Sapienza University of Rome and completed her residency at Jersey City Medical Center/UMDNJ.
She practiced general and trauma surgery until 1990 and then concentrated her practice to the care of the breast and breast surgery.
Dr. DiGioia is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery at Rutgers University RWJ/BH.
She was selected by New Jersey Physicians and Surgeons in a recent poll (October 2020) conducted by Castle Connolly as a "Top Doctor" in surgery. The article was published in NJ Monthly Magazine. Dr. DiGioia has earned this honor for several consecutive years. In addition Dr. Julie was named in NY Magazine as a "Top Doctor in the NY Metro area" - May 2021.
She is Board Certified and a diplomate of the American Board of Surgery with a practice now limited to diseases of the breast.
Dr. Julie herself is a breast cancer survivor. She served as the Medical Director of the Cristie Kerr Women's Health Center, is an advisor to the American Cancer Foundation, and was Chair of the 2017 Susan B. Komen NJ Race for the Cure.
"As a breast cancer survivor, I understand the concerns of my patients and their family".
Stephen C. Hall, M.D. F.A.C.S..
Following his graduation from the University of Southern California, Dr. Hall obtained his MD degree from the University of Bologna, Italy. He trained in General Surgery at Jersey City Medical Center and completed his Plastic Surgery Residency at Columbia University, Harlem Hospital Center.
Dr. Hall is Board Certified by the The American Board of Plastic Surgery and currenrly serves as the Chief of Plastic Surgery at the Jersey City Medical Center.
He is an attending surgeon at the Jersey City Medical Center, Englewood Hospital, Overlook Medical Center,
Dr. Hall is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the New Jersey Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the Medical Society of New Jersey.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Although he practices all aspects of Plastic Surgery (including Hand Surgery), he has a special interest in Breast Reconstruction.
"I believe Breast Reconstruction encompasses the entire spectrum of Plastic Surgery and truly merges aesthetics and reconstruction."
Both Dr. DiGioia and Dr. Hall are Board Certified. Dr. DiGioia is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and Dr. Hall is a Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
2022 Breast Cancer Survivors Group Info
Calendar for 2022 & 2023
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Upcoming Tuesday Meetings:
2022
October 11th
November 8th
December 13th - Holiday Party
2023
January 10th
February 14th
March 14th
April 11th
May 9th
June 13th
July 11th
August 8th
September 12th
October 10th
November 14th
December 12th
5 PM TO 6 PM
LOCATION:
2 JOURNAL SQUARE
SECOND FLOOR
FREE PARKING
MUST RSVP 973 294-9031
SPONSORED BY THE ENGLEWOOD HEALTH FOUNDATION AND BY YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR ANNUAL TRICKY TRAY
Breast Cancer Survivors Group
Moderated by Julie M. DiGioia, MD, F.A.C.S.
The Breast Cancer Survivors is a group that offers a place to present information, provide comfort and coping skills to women who have had breast cancer. The group empowers women through education and support echoing a message that “You are not alone”. Join us in sharing issues, experiences, struggles and thoughts on cancer.
All attending MUST Pre-Register!
To register, please call 973-294-9031 and leave your name, phone number and email address.
Information about local Bereavement Group in Bayonne
aRTICLE FROM THE jERSEY JOURNAL and nj.com
As seasonal blues may take extra toll, bereavement group offers support | Faith Matters - nj.com
By Rev. Alexander Santora/For the Jersey Journal
A local health magazine ran a story last month titled “Holiday Blues? Here’s How to Cope.” Not only big holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas can be depressing for some people, but also this season of the year, autumn -- even more so for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one at a time when the days are shorter and the leaves are falling.
St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Bayonne has a spiritual remedy: a bereavement group.
“The goal is to offer spiritual support to comfort those who mourn a loss through death,” said Carmel Galasso, a certified bereavement leader.
The group will meet for six Tuesdays beginning Nov. 8 for one hour to 90 minutes.
“The sharing is personal and confidential to the group, a safe place to talk and express emotions,” said Galasso, a Bayonne resident whose full-time work is director of Housing Services for the United Way of Hudson County since 2006.
Each session will begin with a prayer or spiritual poem, she described. Then a candle will be lit to represent the life of the deceased and to offer hope in the darkness of the journey. Topics covered will include the stages of grief, communications and listening to one another and to understand what mourning and grief are.
“Grief is a normal reaction to loss,” Galasso said. “Mourning is the process of adjustment and adaptation to the loss.”
The group will examine the impact of trauma, observances of death and what our culture says about mourning. They’ll talk about the emotional, physical and psychological aspects of grief and how it is important to affirm feelings of anger, sadness and joy.
Individuals can share their story or not, she said, and sometimes the personality of the group will determine how fast or slow they move from one discussion topic to another. Each meeting recaptures the topic of the week before. In the final meeting, there will be a guided meditation with music to help to prepare the participants to move on from the support group.
In each meeting, the group affirms each individual and their feelings and loss. The goal, Galasso said, is “to walk the road with those who are grieving and to make it less lonely.”
Galasso had led the autumn group for six years before COVID put it on hiatus. The Rev. Raul Gaviola, pastor, asked her to revive it. Galasso tries to limit each group to no more than 12 participants so each person has a chance to contribute. Most past participants have been middle-aged women, more so than men, she said. And the deaths they mourn are often spouses or children.
The greatest challenge, Galasso said, is to try to answer questions for which there are no answers. People want to know what happens to the person after death, for example. Sometimes there is anger at oneself and even the person who died.
“We try to balance that so they don’t beat themselves up,” she said. A special challenge is when parents talk about the loss of a child. “The pain is different, especially if it is sudden,” Galasso said.
Galasso is also concerned about people who have delayed grief during COVID and were unable to have the traditional rituals. Plus, the fact that COVID took a lot of people unexpectedly. Galasso brings previous experience in working with those in mourning to the group. From 1996 to 2006, Galasso worked for Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Newark connecting people with human services, including working with 9/11 families through casework and financial assistance. Before that, from 1987 to 1995, she was the assistant director of Campus Ministry at St. Peter’s University and an adjunct instructor teaching a class on “Death, Dying and Bereavement.” She was also the founder and director of Kaleidoscope, a grief support group at the university, and conducted graveside services while she was there. She is a member of the Board of Regents and was past president of the Alumni Board for St. Peter’s University and was president of the board for Hudson Hospice.
Galasso said she is willing to “help everyone on their journey so they can walk with someone.” This a gift she has honed over a lifetime.
Advice for those in mourning
Carmel Galasso, who will run the Ministry of Compassion bereavement support group at St. Henry’s Church in Bayonne, offers this advice for those in mourning:
- Acknowledge your pain.
- Support yourself emotionally by taking care of yourself physically.
- Understand that it is a process and not a quick fix.
- Keep a journal of your feelings or to express your thoughts to the person you are grieving; say what you didn’t have a chance to say.
- Schedule something that you enjoy like a hobby; go for a walk.
- Accept the support of family and friends.
Details ...
St. Henry’s Church’s Ministry of Compassion bereavement support group will meet for six Tuesdays beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Parish House, 82 W. 29th St., Bayonne. To register for the group, call the parish office at 201-436-0857, Ext. 110.
The Rev. Alexander Santora is the pastor of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 400 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ 07030. Email: padrealex@yahoo.com; Twitter: @padrehoboken.
NY AND NJ DOCTOR RECOMMEND DR. JULIE AS A "TOP DOCTOR" IN SURGERY TO THEIR PATIENTS 2020, 2021 AND 2022
Physicians and Surgeons in a recent poll (October 2021) conducted by Castle Connolly recognized Dr. Julie DiGioia as a "Top Doctor" in surgery.
Castle Connolly Top Doctors listing includes Dr. Julie DiGioia in Surgery.
As listed in NJ Monthly Magazine
Succesful 2022 dinner with the doctors during October breast cancer awareness month
2022 Tricky tray photos
Think Pink.....Think Cure
Recommended reading by Dr. Julie
Book - Every Step is a Gift by Josh Lasky
Dr. Julie DiGioia would like to recommend the book "Every Step is a Gift" by Josh Lasky to her patients, friend, caregivers and community. It is available in print and on Kindle from Amazon and other book sellers.
Here is a brief summary about the book from Amazon.
According to AARP, 78 percent of people find themselves in the position of caregiver to a loved one at some point in their life. But not many will embrace ultramarathons as a coping technique.
Every Step Is a Gift: Caregiving, Endurance, and the Path to Gratitude explores Josh Lasky’s eleven-year journey as a caregiver to his father who battled Parkinson’s Disease. Josh was just twenty-one when he took on this Herculean responsibility, and although his story is unique, it is also universal.
In his uplifting and life-affirming journey, Josh’s service to his father turns into a personal source of strength for him after deciding to ride his bike, alone, from Washington, DC to Portland. Along the way he discovers his love for endurance sports while also uncovering the realization that, although caregiving can be challenging, it can also be empowering.
Whether you’re a caregiver, an athlete, or just dealing with the hardships of the human condition, this book can help you to find meaning in the struggle—and become stronger and more grateful in the process.
Breast Cancer Support Groups, Yoga and Bags of Love
Join our breast cancer survivors support group
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Breast Cancer Survivors Group
Moderated by Julie M. DiGioia, MD, F.A.C.S.
The Breast Cancer Survivors is a group that offers a place to present information, provide comfort and coping skills to women who have had breast cancer. The group empowers women through education and support echoing a message that “You are not alone”. Join us in sharing issues, experiences, struggles and thoughts on cancer.
BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
Upcoming Tuesday Meetings:
2022
October 11th
November 8th
December 13th - Holiday Party
2023
January 10th
February 14th
March 14th
April 11th
May 9th
June 13th
July 11th
August 8th
September 12th
October 10th
November 14th
December 12th
5 PM TO 6 PM
LOCATION:
2 JOURNAL SQUARE
SECOND FLOOR
FREE PARKING
MUST RSVP 973 294-9031
SPONSORED BY THE ENGLEWOOD HEALTH FOUNDATION AND BY YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR ANNUAL TRICKY TRAY
Breast Cancer Survivors Group
Moderated by Julie M. DiGioia, MD, F.A.C.S.
The Breast Cancer Survivors is a group that offers a place to present information, provide comfort and coping skills to women who have had breast cancer. The group empowers women through education and support echoing a message that “You are not alone”. Join us in sharing issues, experiences, struggles and thoughts on cancer.
All attending MUST Pre-Register!
To register, please call 973-294-9031 and leave your name, phone number and email address.
Interesting Topics:
Topics change each month
Questions and Answers:
An excellent opportunity to ask questions of other group members, medical professionals and share common experiences.
Refreshments
Bags of Love at offices of Julie DiGioia and Stephen Hall
Many “Bags of Love” were delivered in March to the Jersey City offices of Hall-DiGioia Center for Breast Care for distribution to patients of Dr. Julie DiGioia and Dr. Stephen Hall.
The Bags of Love Foundation is a not for profit organization headquartered in Bayonne, NJ. The foundation’s president, Maria Perez, accompanied the bags personally to Jersey City. “It’s an honor to support the vital work of Drs. DiGioia and Hall, who care so deeply for the welfare of their patients,” said Perez.
The Bags of Love care packages were donated to the practice for use by breast cancer patients having ports inserted for chemotherapy. The bags contain comforting patient necessities like a soft blanket, water bottle, lotions, lip balm, and a stress ball, all of which are accompanied by written notes with words of love and encouragement to the newly diagnosed patient.
“It is such a pleasure to see how Maria Perez and the Bags of Love Foundation team are conveying comfort, hope, and kindness to strangers who are facing the anxiety and fear of breast cancer,” said Dr. DiGioia. “We are very appreciative of their generosity and support,” she said.
Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from the Jersey City, Hoboken and Bayonne areas who would like more information on Bags of Love should email Michelle.ashley@rwjbh.org or attend a monthly Support Group meeting the first Tuesday of each month at the Jersey City office of the Hall-DiGioia Center for Breast Care.
Yoga For Breast Cancer Suvivors
In April, the Hall-DiGioia Center for Breast Care was pleased to welcome certified yoga instructor Mercedes Bermejo to their offices.
Drs. Hall and DiGioia recognize that breast cancer treatment and recovery can place a lot of stress on patients and survivors, so they invited Mercedes to the monthly Patient Support Group meeting at their Jersey City office. Mercedes led the group in a 45 minute chair yoga seminar, which proved to be relaxing and stress relieving for all.
"Stress management during treatment and recovery is so important in the overall health and well being of a patient, so we were so happy to have Mercedes leadus in a yoga seminar," says Dr. Julie DiGioia.
"We all felt great after the session!"
Photo Gallery of Bags of Love being delivered
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