National Mammography Day
October can bring up a range of emotions for everyone in the breast cancer community, let’s face it October is hard. With that being said I believe when things are hard it can be the perfect time to look for opportunity. The month of October is chalked full of vast opportunities no doubt to spread awareness. This month let’s take a moment to educate, share and come together as a community to celebrate how far we have come.
National Mammography Day
National Mammography Day always falls on the third Friday of October. For some, scheduling a mammogram may be a daunting task on the to do list that keeps getting pushed to the bottom. Maybe it’s fear, pain or just not wanting to know what the results could mean but the sooner the appointment is made you will have a baseline of information for the future.
I would like to put your mind at ease and share that while it is not a “fun” experience, at least it is a non-invasive procedure. You do not have to have signs or symptoms to set up an appointment. Mammograms can be for early detection and monitoring recurrence for any prior patients.
Availability
Talk to your doctor, find a location and get going! Fitting this into your schedule can be frustrating but don’t let that deter you from getting screened. Grab some peace of mind for your future. Some patients with a strong family history may want to start getting annual mammograms sooner, please talk to your doctor about any family history or changes in your breasts, chest wall or underarms.
Once you make your appointment, call your family and friends and remind them too! You don’t have to do this alone, National Mammography Day is about spreading awareness, it can really help save a life.
Advocate
As someone who has experienced the trauma of both stage I breast cancer and later metastatic breast cancer I can’t help but ask some questions, “What if mammogram scheduling started at an earlier age?”, “Why do we start checking for cervical cancer at age 21 but not breast cancer?”, “Would it have made a difference?” I think our minds will always ask the what if questions but we can’t look back, only forward.
I wish we checked on ourselves sooner but age and insurance has always been a concern for many. It’s not part of the annual care exam for women under the age of 40 to receive an annual mammogram. We need to advocate for ourselves and schedule these appointments, regardless.
Early detection
Breast cancer is a beast that cannot kill you unless it leaves the breast tissue. Early detection is imperative to beat the beast to the punch if there is anything at all to fight. Celebrate National Mammography day by scheduling that mammogram that you have been putting off. Do something for you, your future self may thank you someday!
If there is one thing an advanced breast cancer patient wants more than anything is to help at least one person not experience metastatic disease. Early detection is absolutely key.1
Facility Finder Links:
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/screenings.htm
https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/nbcf-programs/patient-services
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