>>> TONIGHT, NEW YORK IS IN A STATE OF ENERGY, BUT THE MAYOR SAYS NO BOROUGH WILL GET A PASS AS THE CITY SEEKS TO SHELTER THOUSAND OF MIGRANTS WITH MORE FAMILIES ARRIVING EVERY DAY.

PLUS, A NEW JERSEY EVENT DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING WOMEN'S HEALTH AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT CANCER.

"METROFOCUS" STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪♪ >>> THIS IS "METROFOCUS," WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

AND BY -- >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

SINCE APRIL, AN ESTIMATED 17,000 MIGRANTS SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN BUSSED FROM SOUTHERN STATES TO NEW YORK CITY.

THOUGH THE CITY IS TRYING TO HOUSE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, THE SHELTER SYSTEM IS BECOMING EXTREMELY OVERWHELMED.

LAST WEEK, MAYOR ERIC ADAMS DECLARED THIS TO BE A STATE OF EMERGENCY, HOPING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO OPEN MORE EMERGENCY SHELTERS AND SIGNAL TO WASHINGTON, D.C. THAT FEDERAL AID IS NEEDED.

NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BE COVERING THIS TOPIC IN MORE DEPTH NEXT WEEK, BUT TONIGHT WE WANT TO BRING YOU THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTS WITH A REPORTER WHO'S BEEN FOLLOWING THIS ISSUE CLOSELY.

GIULIA McDONNELL AND NIETO DEL RIO.

>> SHE IS AN IMMIGRATION REPORTER AT DOCUMENTED, AND A FORMER AMERICA CORPS MEMBER.

WELCOME TO "METROFOCUS."

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> FIRST OFF, LET'S START WITH WHERE THIS PRICE STANDS WITH NEW YORK.

WHAT IS THE PRESSURE THAT'S BEING PUT ON THE SHELTER SYSTEMS?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE RIGHT NOW.

A LOT OF THE MIGRANTS THAT ARE COMING RIGHT NOW TO NEW YORK, UNLIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES OF IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE COMING PREVIOUSLY TO THE CITY, MANY DO NOT HAVE FAMILY OR SUPPORT SYSTEMS ALREADY ESTABLISHED HERE, SO THEY HAVE TO RELY ON CITY AID OR MUTUAL AID OR OTHER AID ORGANIZATIONS IN ORDER TO FIND SHELTER AND HOUSING, SO IT IS PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE NEW YORK CITY SHELTER SYSTEM TO FIND THEM A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS TO SLEEP AT NIGHT.

SO THERE HAS BEEN MORE THAN 17,000 OF THESE FOLKS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SHELTER SYSTEM IN RECENT MONTHS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF THESE MIGRANTS WHO SAY THE CONDITIONS ARE TOUGH IN THE SHELTER.

THEY SAY THE FOOD HAS SOMETIMES BEEN INEDIBLE.

THEY HAVE -- THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ONE ROOM.

A LOT OF THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY IS PUTTING OUT MAY NOT BE TOTALLY ACCESSIBLE AT THESE SHELTERS.

LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES, THERE ARE ALSO BARRIERS FOR THAT AT THE SHELTER.

SO, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AT THESE SHELTERS, AND IT'S PUTTING A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE CITY AND FORCING MIGRANTS TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR HELP RIGHT NOW.

>> OF COURSE.

AND TO BE CLEAR, AS I MENTIONED IN THE INTRO, A LOT OF THEM ARE BEING BUSED FROM SOUTHERN STATES.

DO WE KNOW WHERE A LOT OF THESE IMMIGRANTS ARE BEING BUSED FROM?

A LOT OF THESE MIGRANTS, I SHOULD SAY, ARE BEING BUSED FROM?

>> MANY -- MOST I'VE SPOKEN TO ARE FROM TEXAS.

EL PASO IS ONE OF THE CITIES I'VE HEARD OF THESE PEOPLE BEING BUSED FROM.

I'VE HEARD OF SAN ANTONIO, OR DEL RIO.

A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CITIES IN TEXAS DEFINITELY, AND THEN THEY'RE ARRIVING HERE AND LOOKING FOR WORK OPPORTUNITY.

THEY HEARD THERE ARE THESE FREE BUSSES FOR THEM TO NEW YORK, SO THEY'RE JUMPING ON BUSS AND HEARING THERE ARE WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN NEW YORK, BUT THEY SAY -- MANY HAVE TOLD ME THE REALITY FOR THEM IS A BIT HARSHER WHEN THEY GET THERE THAN WHAT THEY EXPECTED BECAUSE IT IS SO HARD TO FIND SHELTER AND TO FIND WORK, AND IT'S JUST -- IT'S NOT AS EASY AS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT WAS MADE OUT TO BE PREVIOUSLY.

SO, YEAH, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT EXPERIENCE FOR MANY OF THEM.

>> AND TO TOUCH ON MY MISTAKE IN LANGUAGE, IMMIGRANT VERSUS MIGRANT, DO WE KNOW EXACTLY -- CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE LEGAL STATUS IS?

BECAUSE THESE AREN'T PEOPLE -- WE SHOULD BE CONSCIOUS OF HOW WE TALK ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE, CORRECT?

>> THESE ARE PEOPLE CLAIMING ASYLUM, COMING TO THE UNITED STATES AND CLAIMING THE SLAUM PROCESS, WHICH IS ALLOWED UNDER THE U.S. LAW.

WHAT THESE FOLKS ARE DOING NOW IS LOOKING FOR LAWYERS TO HELP THEM PLAY FOR ASYLUM STATUS.

ONCE THEY ARRIVE ON U.S.

TERRITORY, THEY ARE CLAIMING ASYLUM, SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HELP IN THIS PROCESS TO HELP THEM, BECAUSE THE ASYLUM PROCESS IS A BIT COMPLICATED SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THEY'RE FACING NOW IN NEW YORK.

THEY CANNOT GET WORK AUTHORIZATION UNLESS THEY HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THEIR ASYLUM APPLICATION, AND EVEN AFTER THAT THEY HAVE TO WAIT 150 DAYS UNTIL THEY CAN EVEN APPLY FOR WORK AUTHORIZATION.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER BARRIER THERE THAT THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH.

BUT YES, THESE MIGRANTS ARE COMING HERE THROUGH A PROCESS THAT IS ALLOWED THROUGH U.S. LAW, AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HELP TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM AND TO GET ASYLUM THROUGH THE IMMIGRATION COURT PROCESS.

>> OKAY, WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, ABOUT 60 SECONDS OR SO, BUT JUST VERY QUICKLY, WHAT DOES THE STATE OF EMERGENCY MEAN FOR NEW YORK?

>> DEFINITELY.

SO, MAYOR ADAMS LAST WEEK DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY, AND ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS HE WAS ASKING FOR WAS BASICALLY STATE AND FEDERAL AID, AND FOR ALL THE CITY AGENCIES TO COME TOGETHER TO HELP IN ANY WAY THEY COULD TO HELP THESE ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND THAT INCLUDES WITH THESE HUMANITARIAN CENTERS, WHAT THE CITY IS CALLING HUMANITARIAN CENTERS THAT ARE BEING BUILT.

THERE'S ONE ON RANDALL'S ISLAND THAT SHOULD BE GETTING GOING SOON, AND THIS WILL BE A TEMPORARY PLACE FOR SHELTER AND FOOD FOR SOME FOLKS.

THIS IS MOSTLY SINGLE ADULTS, AND THEN MAYOR ADAMS ANNOUNCED TODAY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER HUMANITARIAN CENTER AT A HOTEL IN MIDTOWN FOR FAMILIES WHERE FAMILIES WILL BE ABLE TO GET KIND OF TEMPORARY SERVICES WHILE THEY FIGURE OUT THEIR NEXT STEPS AS WELL.

THE STATE OF EMERGENCY IS A KIND OF FULL MOBILIZATION OF CITY SERVICES TO HELP ASYLUM SEEKERS SINCE THE CITY HAS ALREADY SPENT SO MANY SERVICES AND SO MUCH MONEY.

THEY HAVE REALLY POURED IN A LOT OF RESOURCES TO HELPING ASYLUM SEEKERS, BUT THERE'S STILL WAY MORE TO BE DONE.

>> ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE, BUT GIULIA McDONNELL, NIETO DEL RIO, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AS I SAID IN THE INTRO, THIS IS A STORY WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP ON IN DEPTH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>>> A MAJOR EVENT FOCUSING ON WOMEN'S HEALTH IS TAKING PLACE THIS SATURDAY AT THE NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IT'S CALLED LET'S TALK: WOMEN'S HEALTH & WELLNESS.

IT'S AN ALL-DAY EVENT FOR WOMEN OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND ETHNICIIES TO LEARN, CELEBRATE, AND SHARE WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH EXPERTS ABOUT WOMEN'S HEALTH JOURNEYS.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENT ARE ITS ORGANIZER, DEB BELFATTO, AND JULIA SMITH, AN NYU ONCOLOGIST FROM NYU LANGONE.

WELCOME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, JACK.

>> DEB, LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.

ALWAYS A GOOD PLACE TO START.

THAT IS, WHERE DID THE IDEA FOR THIS COME FROM?

>> WELL, JACK, I AM OFFICIALLY CALLING THIS MY BRAIN BURST.

DURING MY RECOVERY FROM MY NUMBER TWO BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS.

YOU NEVER KNOW, AND -- WHERE THINGS ARE GOING TO TAKE YOU.

BUT EVERYTHING COMES WITH A PURPOSE, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS EVENT WAS PART OF THE PURPOSE OF ME FACING A SECOND BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS AFTER 35 YEARS.

FROM MY ORIGINAL BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS.

>> YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS, AND YOU HAD SAID THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN THE SECOND ONE CAME ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT -- AND YOU HAD BEEN VERY ACTIVE SINCE THAT FIRST ONE.

YOU'RE VAR VERY ACTIVE, INVOLVE IN THE KOMEN FOUNDATION AND SIMILAR INVOLVEMENTS.

BUT YOU TALKED TO ME ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW A LOT AND MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW AS MUCH AS YOU THOUGHT.

HOW DID THAT ENTER INTO THE IDEA OF, LET'S CREATE A DAY OF LEARNING FOR WOMEN?

>> I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW -- WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE OR WHETHER IT'S A CHALLENGE, COMES WITH A PURPOSE.

AND I -- I JUST KNEW WHEN THIS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE THAT THERE WAS MORE TO DO.

AND I HONESTLY, WHEN I SPOKE WITH MY ONCOLOGIST, HE MENTIONED THAT -- AND I DID THINK I KNEW A LOT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN.

HE MENTIONED THAT WITH EACH DECADE OF SURVIVORSHIP, THERE'S AN INCREASED 6% CHANCE OF GETTING A SECOND BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS, NOT A RECURRENCE.

SO, THAT PUT ME, 35 YEARS LATER, AT ALMOST A 20% CHANCE, AND THAT'S A BIG STATISTIC THAT I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE.

>> HUH.

GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU IN A SECOND, BECAUSE I WANT TO YOU EXPLAIN IN A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL.

I MENTIONED IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE IDEA WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.

BUT I WANT TO BRING DR. SMITH INTO THE CONVERSATION.

DR. SMITH, LET ME ASK YOU TO START BY DESCRIING -- I TALKED ABOUT YOU WERE THE DIRECTOR OF THIS PROGRAM.

EXPLAIN WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS AND HOW IT IS YOU WORK WITH PATIENTS.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AS DEB REALLY POINTS OUT VERY EFFECTIVELY, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK FOR CANCER AND KNOW IT, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE AT RISK FOR CANCER AND DON'T KNOW IT.

I'M TALKING ABOUT ALL CANCERS, NOT JUST BREAST CANCER.

IN THIS CASE, DEB'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT -- ANYONE WHO'S HAD A CANCER, A BREAST CANCER, IS AT HIGHER RISK THAN THE AVERAGE WOMAN WOULD BE FOR ANOTHER BREAST CANCER.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE -- AND THIS BEGAN IN THE '90s, WE OPENED ONE OF THE FIRST CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY, AND ACTUALLY OPENED THE FIRST ONE IN BELLVUE FOR UNINSURED WOMEN BECAUSE WE HAD MONEY FROM THE LYNN COHEN FOUNDATION, SUPPORT FROM BELLVUE, SUPPORT FROM THE CANCER CENTER.

AND WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS HELP WOMEN.

IT WAS WOMEN BECAUSE THE BRACKET GENES HAD BEEN CLONED AND WANTED TO HELP WOMEN UNDERSTAND IF THEY WERE AT RESCUE FOR CANCER, TRY TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, TRY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

SO, WE SEE PATIENTS IN OUR PROGRAM.

NOW WE SEE MEN AND WOMEN, ALL CANCERS.

BUT WE SEE PATIENTS, HALF OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE NEVER HAD CANCER BUT THEY MAY SUSPECT OR WANT THE KNOW IF THEY'RE AT ELEVATED RISK, AND WE WANT TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHETHER THEY ARE OR OR NOT, AND IF THEY ARE, HELP THEM DESIGN A SCREENING REGIMEN TO TRY TO PROTECT THEM FOR INTERVENE EARLY ENOUGH TO CHANGE THEIR OVERALL SURVIVAL.

FOR THOSE WHO NEVER HAD CANCER WE'RE INTEREST IN THE MAKING SURE -- THOSE ARE THE ONES WE WANT TO INTERVENE, MAKE SURE THEY NEVER GET CANCER IF WE CAN HELP IT.

BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD CANCER, AS DEB POINTED OUT, THEY COULD BE AT RISK FOR A SECOND CANCER.

MAYBE BE A SECOND BREAST CANCER, MAYBE BE ANOTHER CANCER THEY'RE AT HIGH RISK FOR, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO INTERVENE.

NOW THAT OUR PATIENTS ARE SURVIING DIAGNOSES, WE DON'T WANT THEM BROUGHT DOWN BY A SECOND CANCER WE COULD HAVE PROTECTED THEM FROM.

>> DEB, I GAVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT.

LET ME ASK YOU, IF SOMEONE SAYS TO YOU, DEB, I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS EVENT SATURDAY.

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

WHAT'S THE ANSWER TO THAT?

>> OH, MY GOODNESS.

THAT'S SUCH A BIG ANSWER, BUT I GUESS THE BEST ANSWER IS TAKE BETTER CARE OF YOURSELF.

TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF.

FOCUS ON YOUR WELLNESS.

GET AHEAD OF IT BEFORE IT GETS AHEAD OF YOU.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, BEING PROACTIVE AND EMPOWERING OURSELVES AS WOMEN TO TAKE THE TIME TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF OURSELVES.

>> HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GO ABOUT THAT.

NOW YOU CAN GET TO THE SPECIFICS.

LET'S DO THE RUNDOWN, IF YOU WILL, OF WHAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE DURING THE COURSE OF THIS EVENT.

>> SO, IT'S A JAM-PACKED DAY, AND THE ONE THING THAT I'VE EMPHASIZED THROUGH THE PLANNING PROCESS IS THAT I DON'T WANT OUR GUESTS TO FEEL OVERWHELMED OR THAT THIS INFORMATION IS SO DAUNTING THAT BY THE END OF THE DAY THEY'RE LIKE, UGH, I'M NOT DOING ONE OF THOSE CRAZY THINGS THEY SUGGESTED.

DRINKING MATCHA?

OUT OF THE QUESTION.

I WANT IT TO BE USER FRIENDLY.

I WANT THEM TO HEAR CLEAR MESSAGING AND FEEL LIKE THEY TRUST THEMSELVES, THAT THEY CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES, THEY CAN TWEAK A LITTLE BIT HERE AND A LITTLE BIT THERE.

AND WE HAVE EXPERTS IN SO MANY FIELDS OF MEDICINE.

WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE CROWN, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE SOUL, AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT A BIG EMPHASIS ON MENTAL WELLNESS, BECAUSE I THINK THE THREE OF US WOULD AGREE THAT IF YOU HAVE A HEALTHY MIND, CHANCES OF GETTING RID OF A LOT OF THOSE ACHES AND PAINS ARE A LOT MORE LIKELY.

>> SO, YOU MENTION JAM-PACKED DAY.

GIVE US AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE ASPECTS OF THAT JAM-PACKED DAY.

WHAT CAN THE PEOPLE -- YOU CALL THEM GUESTS, WHICH I THINK IS A WONDERFUL TERMINOLOGY TO USE.

AND WE SAID THERE'S GOING TO BE A COMBINATION OF WOMEN -- WE TALKED ABOUT ALL AGES, GROUPS, BACKGROUNDS, ETHNICITIES AND EXPERTS HERE.

HOW ARE THEY GOING TO INTERACT?

>> YES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY MATTERS TO ME.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE A MOSAIC OF MAGNIFICENT WOMEN, AND WE'RE GOING TO WELCOME THEM WITH MUSIC AND MOVEMENT AND ALL TYPES OF INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES IN THE LOBBY, PHOTO BOOTHS, AND THINGS THAT WILL RELAX THEM.

WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO WEAR COMFY CLOTHES, NOTHING TOO SERIOUS.

WE ALL KNOW HOW WOMEN CAN GET ABOUT WHAT TO WEAR.

WE WANT TO INTRODUCE THE DAY WITH A VERY RELAXED TONE TO IT.

THEN WE'LL INVITE OUR GUESTS INTO PRU DESHL HALL.

THERE WILL BE A BOOMING RECORDING OF VOICES OF WOMEN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PRETTY MAJOR HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND THAT WILL HOPEFULLY GIVE WOMEN A PAUSE TO SAY, UGH, I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME.

OH, MY GOODNESS, WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID THAT?

AND THEN WE'LL BREAK INTO A PLENARY SESSION WITH A FOCUS ON BREAST HEALTH AND BREAST CANCER, AND -- LED BY JACK FORD WILL MODERATE THAT PANEL.

SHORTLY -- AND WE HAVE A LINEUP OF AMAZING EXPERTS.

OH, AND BY THE WAY, I WILL BE INTRODUCED BY DR. DEBRA AXELROD, MY BREAST SURGEON, AND I'M HONORED TO CALL HER A VERY DEAR FRIEND.

THEN THERE WILL BE BREAKOUT SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE MORNING, AND THERE WILL BE BREAKOUT SESSIONS ALL BUILT AROUND EIGHT PILLARS OF WELLNESS, AND THAT WILL BE NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS, SPIRITUAL WELLNESS, FINANCIAL WELLNESS.

AND A LOT OF THE SPEAKERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING THAT DAY HAVE BEEN, SHALL WE SAY, EXTRACTED FROM SOME OF OUR VERY GENEROUS SPONSORS.

A LOT OF THEM IN THE HEALTH CARE SPACE.

SO THEN WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FERTILITY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT MEN PAUSE.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT JUST COME INTO A WOMAN'S LIFE, AND THEY NEED TO REALLY TOOK UP THEIR TOOL KITS TO, LIKE I SAID, GET AHEAD OF THESE THINGS.

THERE WILL BE A BEAUTIFUL LUNCHING, HEALTHY OF COURSE, BECAUSE WHY NOT?

AND THEN WE'LL JUST KEEP ONGOING WITH THE SECOND PLENARY SESSION.

BUT THERE WILL BE MUSIC AND MOVEMENT, AND THERE WILL BE YOGA AND REIKI AND THERE WILL BE ALL THOSE ASPECTS OF THE HOLISTIC APPROACH OF LIVING A BETTER LIFE.

>> THERE'S SMITH, LET ME ASK YOU, IN TERMS OF YOUR EXPERTISE -- THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE WOVEN INTO THIS EVENT.

I LOOKED AT THE RUNDOWN THAT DEB SENT ME.

IT'S MARVELOUS IN TERM OF THE GREAT COMBINATION OF MAKING EVERYBODY COMFORTABLE AND HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AND LEARN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S IMPORTANT HERE AND WILL CERTAINLY BE A FACTOR, AND THAT'S THE NOTION OF GENETIC TESTING.

WE HEAR AN AWFUL LOT ABOUT THAT LATELY, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE FROM MY OWN PERSPECTIVE AND PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THAT WE TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS.

GIVE ME A SENSE.

ASSUME YOUR ROLE AS A TEACHER NOW AND GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GENETIC TESTING WITH REGARD TO CANCER, HEALTH, WELLNESS, TESTING DIAGNOSIS, PROGNOSIS.

>> RIGHT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, THE FIELD OF GENETICS AND GENETIC TESTING AND CANCER GENETICS HAS JUST BLOWN OPEN IN THE LAST TWO DECADES AND HAS CHANGED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CANCER, CHANGED OUR TREATMENT MODELTIES, CHANGED OUR ABILITY TO DO WHAT'S CALLED PRECISION MEDICINE.

AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY ALL OF THIS IS DUE TO A WOMAN SCIENTIST, MARY CLAIRE KING, WHO'S STILL ALIVE AND ACTIVE, VERY ACTIVE.

FOR MANY DECADES SHE SAID, I THINK IN SOME FAMILIES, CANCER MAY BE INHERITED AS A GENETIC MUTATION AND FACTOR, CAUSING SOME PEOPLE IN THOSE FAMILIES TO HAVE A HIGHER CHANCE OF GETTING CANCER.

NOBODY LISTENED TO HER, ACTUALLY.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION WAS NOT INTERESTED THEM SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

ANCER'S NOT GENETIC.

THE LATE PUBLIC SNEEZED AT IT, TOO.

IT WAS NOT ONLY THE EARLY '90s, SHE CLONED THE BRACKET 1 AND BRACKET 2 GENE AND PROVED THAT YES, IN FACT, IN SOME CASES THERE IS A GENETIC BASIS TO CANCER.

AT THAT POINT THERE WERE TWO GENES, THE BRACA 1 AND 2, AND IN THAT TIME THERE'S BEEN ENORMOUS WORK, ADVANCEMENT, AND NOW WE KNOW OF MANY, MANY, MANY GENES THAT CAN INCREASE ONE'S LIFETIME RISK OF VARIOUS CANCERS.

YOU CAN SEQUENCE THOSE GENES FROM ANY INDIVIDUAL, AND THAT'S AN EASY PROCESS IN TERMS OF THE PATIENTS.

THEY SHOW UP AND GIVE A BLOOD SAMPLE OR SALIVA SAMPLE.

THE GENES THE SAME IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN EVERY SINGLE CELL IN YOUR BODY.

IF YOU TAKE A TUBE OF BLOOD, YOU HAVE A LOT OF THAT PERSON'S GENES YOU CAN SEQUENCE.

IF WE LOOK AT THE SPECIFIC GENES CAREFULLY THAT WE KNOW CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF CANCER WITH CERTAIN MUTATIONS IN THE GENE AND WE FIND THOSE CHANGES, THEN WE KNOW WHICH POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE ARE AT HIGHER RISK FOR WHICH CANCERS.

WE'VE MADE ENORMOUS ADVANCES BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, AND WE ARE GOING GREAT GUNS.

SO, WHAT EVERYONE SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW IS TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THEY HAVE AN ELEVATED RISK OF CANCER, WHETHER IT'S GENETIC BY THE WAY, JACK, OR NONGENETIC.

THERE ARE FA MILIAL CANCERS WE CAN'T FIND IT.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T PEOPLE AT RISK.

IT'S A CLAKED FIELD.

IT'S NOT JUST GET MY BLOOD, SEQUENCE THE GENES.

IT'S A WHOLE ANALYSIS THAT HAS TO GO INTO UNDERSTANDING THE GENETIC RESULTS, DOING THE PROPER GENE SEQUENCING, AND THEN INTEGRATING THAT WITH THE PERSON'S INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.

INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL HISTORY, PERSONAL HISTORY, TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE AT INCREASED RISK OF VARIOUS CANCERS.

SO I BELIEVE THAT BASICALLY EVERYONE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THEIR GENETICS, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY ADD.

IN THE BEGINNING WE HAVE VERY LIMITED -- AT THIS POINT WE HAVE CLOSE TO 100 GENETIC SYNDROMES WE CAN IDENTIFY IN CANCER.

THERE ARE MANY OTHERS IN OTHER FIELDS BUT IN CANCER WE CAN IDENTIFY AT LEAST 100 GENETIC SYNDROMES NOW THAT WILL TELL US HOW TO INTERVENE AND HELP THAT PERSON PROTECTION THEMSELVES.

>> WE'VE GOT ABOUT THREE MINUTES LEFT.

A COUPLE QUESTIONS I WANT TO GET TO EACH OF YOU.

DR. SMITH, SOUNDS COMPLEX, AND CAN EVEN, I IMAGINE, SOUND DAUNTING.

DO YOU FIND THERE'S RELUCTANCE OR HESITANCE WHEN TALKING TO PATIENTS ABOUT DOING THIS?

>> SOME.

MUCH, MUCH LESS THAN THERE WAS TWO DECADES AGO.

I WOULD JUST SAY TWO WORDS, JACK -- ANGELINA JOLIE.

SHE CHANGED PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING AND ABILITY TO SORT OF INTEGRATE THIS INTO THEIR GENERAL THINKING.

MOST PEOPLE NOW UNDERSTAND THAT GENETICS, YOU'RE BORN WITH THE GENES YOU'RE BORN WITH, AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW -- WE'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW TO CHANGE YOUR CANCER RISK FROM YOUR GENES.

THERE'S A LOT YOU CAN DO IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE RISK.

SO EVERYONE SAYS, AND IT'S TRUE, KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.

AND I THINK WITH THE BARRIERS THAT HAVE BROKEN DOWN BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, PUBLICITY, UNDERSTANDING, MEDIA EXPOSURE, FINANCIAL ABILITY TO GET THIS COVERED, IT'S NOW -- IT'S MUCH, MUCH LESS RESISTANCE THAN WE EVER FACED IN THE PAST.

>> THAT'S CERTAINLY THE GOOD NEWS.

DEB, LAST QUESTION TO YOU.

GOT A LITTLE MORE THAN A MINUTE.

SOMEONE'S WATCHING THIS AND SAYS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN EXTRAORDINARY OPPORTUNITY.

TELL US CAN PEOPLE STILL GET INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATE?

IF THEY CAN'T, WILL THERE BE SOME FOLLOW UP WHERE THEY'LL HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THESE IN DIFFERENT PLATFORMS?

>> WITHOUT A DOUBT.

AND YES, THEY CAN STILL, AND ANY EVENT I HAVE EVER DONE, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU SHOW UP AT THE DOOR, WE'LL FIND A SPOT FOR YOU, BECAUSE THIS IS THAT IMPORTANT TO -- TO WOMEN TODAY.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, AND IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE ACCESS TO QUALITY CARE, I DON'T KNOW QUITE WHERE I'D FIND MYSELF.

AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT ALL WOMEN, HEALTH EQUITY IS -- MATTERS SO MUCH TO ME, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WOMEN UNDERSTAND THEIR VALUE AND THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO A DAY LIKE THIS.

AND WILL THERE BE FUTURE DAYS LIKE THIS?

THAT HE MAINS TO BE SEEN.

>> HOPEFULLY YES.

>> HOPEFULLY YES.

>> LET ME JUST BUTTON IT UP HERE.

AGAIN, A REMINDER, IT'S CALLED LET'S TALK: WOMEN'S HEALTH & WELLNESS.

NEW JERSEY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN NEWARK THIS SATURDAY.

DEB, GOOD FRIEND FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK WITH YOU, AND DR. SMITH IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HELPING US UNDERSTAND ALL THIS.

GOOD LUCK ON SAD.

WE'LL TALK SOON.

TAKE CARE NOW.

>>> "METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.