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SURVIVING BREAST CANCER 2013 ASK THE EXPERT: EVA DUBIN GIVES BACK a year or two," she says. As a physician, Founder of The Dubin Breast Center at The she knew too much about cancer and Mount Sinai Medial Center, Dubin fights to treat rest results. "I knew exactly what needed to be confirmed. I also remem- others the way she wanted to be treated. ber grabbing on to any cancer survivor who survived for more than two years and hoped I would become one of them. I loved talking to them because BY LISA IANNUCCI it was very encouraging and I tried CTW FEATURES focusing on the positive." She consulted with multiple doctors er doctor simply told her, H was important or just deodorant on the who could coordinate her care. She "You have breast cancer film," says the now 52-year-old. was diagnosed with an early stage of and I think you need a breast cancer, but it was decided that a mastectomy," and hung Her risk factors for breast cancer were minimal. She was 34 when she mastectomy was what she needed to up. Eva Dubin, once a model with an do. "I didn't need chemo, but I knew illustrious career, a Miss Universe had her first child, but no one in her family had ever had any form ofcancer, I didn't want radiation," she says. finalist and a board certified internist and founder of The Dubin Breast so the odds were in her favor. That is, Dubin has lived a wonderful life, Center at The Mount Sinai Medical until the doctor called with the diagno- traveling the world as an international Center, New York City, knew that sis no woman wants to hear. "It was model, but medicine was her calling. shocking," she says. "I had just helped Years earlier, she made a conscious Photo courtesy Stefan Andersson wasn't the way to treat a patient. She was about to face the fight of her life one of my closest friends go through decision to complete her pre-medicine the exact same cancer diagnosis. I was program in Sweden. "When I was The couple donated $16 million to and she knew that she deserved better. create The Dubin Breast Center at The super busy with a 7, 5 and 1 year old younger, I was fascinated by hospitals," It was 2002 and Dubin, who had and this was out of nowhere." she says. "I loved the smells and the Mount Sinai Medical Center. "I had just had her third child, had not had a sounds and I could see myself taking no intention to enter into the breast mammogram in more than a year. One call changed her life forever. "I cancer field," she says. "But it's very was scared I would have an advanced care of people. When I got older I "Once I had it they told me it was fine, knew I needed to go into the field so I unusual to have the experience of being but called me up an hour later because stage of breast cancer, I wouldn't see philanthropist, patient and physician. my children grow up and I'd be dead in could learn more. It was always fasci- they saw something, but weren't sure it nating to read about your body and it It makes me very invested in the place was interesting being a mix of a detec- because it carries our name." tive and a scientist. It was a right fit for The Dubin Breast Center is a multi- me." disciplinary facility that includes But she also was drawn to the life of oncofertility, nutrition, and mental a model. "I wanted to see the world health counseling, in addition to and make money, so I figured I would massage therapy, acupuncture and rake off one year, bur one turned into other complementary services, all four," she says. "It was very hard to under one roof. The center offers 3D stop. I was having a good time travel- mammography and new procedures ing, bur an opportunity came up to go like seed localization, which allows back to school and I took it." surgeons to better target and remove breast tumors. "Our goal for The After her experience with breast Dubin Breast Center is to provide cancer, Dubin decided that it was rime patients with seamless care," she says. to give back. "My husband, Glenn, "From breast cancer screening to diag- and I looked into doing something for nosis to treatment and survivorship, the hospital and we suggested creating patients receive personalized, compre- he Dubin Family, a breast cancer center," she says. hensive care in a welcoming, private from the left: Jordan, Celina, Maya, Glenn and Eva EFTA01125290 SURVIVING BREAST CANCER 2013 and reassuring setting." high survival rates. Don't panic, and go She says that she is obsessed with to someone who specializes in breast keeping the place clean. "We don't use cancer. Its a journey that, at she end of wall to wall rugs and I almost want to she day, will make you a stronger, ask patients to take their shoes off," she better person." laughs. "But I want it to be clean, and Dubin says it changed her life for the quality of care inside the center is the better. "All of a sudden, I was faced the most important thing. All of our with the fact char something was affect- doctors are hand-picked and the best ing my life and I started appreciating of the best. I'm most proud of the my life, friends and family on a level I personnel we have hired? wasn't aware of before. I'm humble and She meets with every employee to thankful for every day." ask them how they are doing and how Today, Dubin is healthy and makes they can make the center better. "I sure to get checked every six months. meet with patients too," she says. "They "I get nervous though, but I'm not have a different experience than I had walking around looking for lumps and and I want to hear what their ideas bumps." are." For more information, visit www. To those women who are going dubinbreastcenter.org through treatment or were just diag- nosed Dubin says, "Breast cancer today has a very good prognosis. We find CCTV/ FEATURES breast cancer earlier, and we have very ALL IN THE FAMILY Eva Dubin's daughter, 18 year-old Celina, wants to become a breast surgeon. She is starting Harvard University this tall and is taking pre-med classes to become a doctor. She says her inspiration is Dr. Elisa Port. the director of The Dubin Breast Center (Photo courtesy Gosta Andersson) When did you decide you wanted to become a breast surgeon and did your mother's diagnosis play a factor in that? I've always been interested in science and biology. During the last couple years I've been shadowing a lot of surgeons and specifically have become interested in breast surgery after spending some time with Dr. Elisa Port, chief breast surgeon at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, who is very inspiring. This, more than my mother's diagnosis, has led me to be interested in breast surgery. My mother's diagnosis probably has strengthened my interest in medicine. Your mother had breast cancer. Talk about how you feel about your risk increasing? I know by being a daughter of a breast cancer survivor I'm at an increased risk of breast cancer myself. However, I am lucky that my mother does not carry the mutation called the BRCA gene. As a result of my mother's diagnosis, I am definitely more aware of early screening and will be followed in a center that specializes in breast cancer. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself living in New York City, hopefully having completed medical school at a great institution and working as a surgeon, specializing in breast surgery. EFTA01125291