Vices, Warnings, and Wellness: Navigating Health Risks and Healing

Please join Stamford Health for a community conversation on how lifestyle choices, such as smoking, vaping, substance abuse, and alcohol can impact cancer risk and survivorship. We will also explore the role of warning labels, moderation, and healthy alternatives that support healing, including therapy, nutrition, and palliative care. 

A panel of experts, including oncologists, Medical Director of Palliative Care, and a registered dietician, will share insights and answer your questions. 

About the Panelists

Dr. Marco Christian Michael is a psychiatrist at Bennett Cancer Center. He has been a staff here since September 2023. He received his dual degree medical doctorate from University of Indonesia and research degree from Monash University in Australia, followed by psychiatry residency at State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate in New York. He completed his geriatric psychiatry fellowship training in NY Presbyterian- Cornell. He performs psychiatric evaluation, psychotherapy, and medication management.

Dr. Kelsey Sokol joined the Bennett Cancer Center about 4 years ago after completing residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Thomas Jefferson University. She specializes in the treatment of breast cancer and hematologic malignancy. She enjoys working with her patients to bring them the most up to date treatment in a personalized manner. 

Dr. Joshua Dower is a Hematologist and Medical Oncologist at the Bennett Cancer Center in Stamford, CT, specializing in the treatment of benign and malignant hematologic disorders. He attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship training at Tufts Medical Center. Along with the other physicians at the Bennett Cancer Center, he currently serves as a Collaborative Physician at the Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center. He currently serves as a member of several professional organizations including the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 

Dr. Sherry Ng is a palliative care physician who treats patients with a range of serious illnesses, including chronic lung diseases, heart failure, neurologic diseases, and cancer. This specialized medical care focuses on the whole person, adding extra support to pain or physical symptoms, emotional and psychosocial stressors, and spiritual needs. The goal is to improve your quality of life. She graduated from St. George’s University School of Medicine, completed residency in Family Medicine at Stamford Hospital, and fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is a board-certified physician in Family Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Medicine and serves as medical director of Stamford Health’s Palliative Care program. 

Aubrie Meriwether is an Outpatient Oncology Dietitian with the Bennett Cancer Center at Stamford Hospital.  She is a graduate from Lehman College with a BS in Nutrition, Foods and Dietetics and holds a Board Certification specializing in Oncology with 5 years’ experience at New York Presbyterian Cheryl Lindenbaum Comprehensive Cancer Center. With a passion and background in yoga, Aubrie incorporates a holistic approach supporting patients, implementing nutrition and self-care as tools for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Aubrie comes with a wealth of knowledge which will be present in her presentation Food As Self-Care: Healing Your Body with Compassion and Nutrition.