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.