Ladies, it’s never too late to take charge of your health. Preventive care helps to catch a disease before it starts. Every October, we all get the pink memo to get a breast exam. Did you get your annual mammogram?
Kudos to the annual campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer. We’ve seen the staggering statistics regarding the leading health crisis for women in the United States. 1 in 8 women receive a breast cancer diagnosis.
What are the chances of a woman getting breast cancer as she ages?
At age 30: 1 out of 249
40: 1 out of 67
50: 1 out of 36
60: 1 out of 29
70: 1 out of 24
The pink, pink, and pinker advertisements to educate and support early detection, still desperately needed. Why? The statistics say many women overlook getting annual breast exams as well as doing self-examinations.
No need for concern about the lack of breast care screening benefits. Under the Affordable Care Act/Obama Care, women’s preventive health care, such as mammograms, screening for cervical cancer, prenatal care, generally must be covered with no cost-sharing.
Why is a yearly mammogram necessary? A mammogram can find changes in breast tissue long before even a doctor can feel them. And while a monthly self-exam is important to feel lumps, the mammogram will show problems before a lump occurs.
For Black women, breast cancer is the second-deadliest cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And while the rate of breast cancer dropped in the African American community, the death rate is 40% higher among Black women than white women.
This year, my take-charge routine breast exam called for different imaging because of my heterogeneously dense breast tissue. This breast density assessment may vary from year to year.
There is currently no cure for breast cancer, and its early detection is critical to survival. My mother, Bessie Louise, was a 12-year breast cancer survivor. Mom’s Stage 1 breast cancer detection at the age of 71.
If nothing else, the year 2020 reminded us of the importance of staying in excellent health. For sure, especially protecting your immune system. If your immune system is strong, that’s half the battle in warding off viruses like the flu or COVID-19.
Ladies, it’s time to take charge of your health. Don’t let COVID-19 be your excuse for not getting your annual exam. You can get in and out safely and quickly.
As always, thank you for reading. Don’t let your guard down; please continue to follow the CDC guidelines to wear masks and social distance this flu season.
