Lankenau Medical Center (LMC), part of Main Line Health (MLH), will host Two Artists, One Vision: An Alliance Through Medicine and Art, an art exhibit recognizing Colorectal Awareness Month in March, on Tuesday, March 3, 5:30–7:00 pm at the Annenberg Center for Medical Education, 100 East Lancaster Avenue, Wynnewood, Pa. Featured artists will be Gerald Marks, MD, Colorectal Surgery, Professor and Chairman, Marks Colorectal Surgical Foundation and Co-Director, Harry P. Mirabile, Sr. Colorectal Cancer Center, and Patricia Wong, MD, Director of Women’s GastroIntestinal Health and Associate GI Fellowship Program Director.

“Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death, so it is important to spread the word about prevention and early detection during March,” said John Marks, MD, Section Chief of Colorectal Surgery and Medical Director of the Colorectal Cancer Program and son of Dr. Gerald Marks. “This exhibition symbolizes the synergistic role of medicine and surgery in preventing and treating colorectal cancer. We encourage the community to attend the exhibit and enjoy are paintings, which are a celebration of life.”

Dr. Gerald Marks, who is known for his colorectal surgical pioneering, paints watercolors that chronicle his international travels as a surgeon educator. His art recalls moments, people, places and events that evoke the memories of his travels as a surgeon and an artist. Dr. Wong has been painting since the age of 16 and was recognized as one of the top amateur artists in the country at the age of 18. She was a finalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, the most prestigious award for amateur artists.

Lankenau’s minimally invasive colorectal surgical and robotics program is the largest in the region. Having performed over 2,000 procedures, colorectal surgeons at LMC utilize laparoscopic surgery over 90 percent of the time compared to the regional average of less than 50 percent of procedures. By using the daVinci Robot to provide patients with a minimally invasive, advanced treatment options, patients enjoy a much speedier recovery and without the need for a colostomy bag. Dr. John Marks is performing the TATA (Transanal TEM with Coloanal Anastomosis and Transabdominal Assistance), which spares the rectum and greatly improves the quality of life for rectal cancer patients. In addition to the TATA, he has introduced several other techniques, including Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery and Single Incision Laparoscopic procedures after a cancer diagnosis.

Lankenau Medical Center, a member of Main Line Health, is recognized as a national leader in advancing new options to diagnose and treat illness, protect against disease and save lives. Located on a 93-acre campus just outside of Philadelphia, Lankenau Medical Center is a 389-bed, not-for-profit teaching hospital that includes one of the nation’s leading cardiovascular centers; the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, one of the few freestanding hospital-associated research centers in the nation; and the Annenberg Conference Center for Medical Education, that trains over 100 new physicians each year through nationally ranked residency and fellowship programs. Lankenau has received both regional and national recognition for its excellence in providing state-of-the-art, quality care. Lankenau Medical Center has been named among the top 10 hospitals in Pennsylvania and top five in the Philadelphia metro area in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2016–17, and was ranked as high-performing in four specialties: gastroenterology & GI surgery, geriatrics, orthopedics and pulmonology. Lankenau was also ranked as high performing in all nine of the Common Core specialty areas that the publication analyzes, including: abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, aortic valve surgery, COPD, colon cancer surgery, congestive heart failure, heart bypass surgery, hip replacement, knee replacement and lung cancer surgery. Lankenau has achieved The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for stroke care and breast cancer care and is one of the nation’s Top Performing Hospitals for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. Lankenau has also been ranked for multiple years as one of the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the nation by Truven Health Analytics. Lankenau has also earned the highest distinction for excellence in nursing care, the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet® designation.