This October, Shawnee Health Care is proud to participate in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. The good news is that most women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early.
If you are a woman age 40 to 49, talk with your doctor about when to start getting mammograms and how often to get them. If you are a woman age 50 to 74, be sure to get a mammogram every 2 years. You may also choose to get them more often. Talk to a doctor about your risk for breast cancer, especially if a close family member of yours had breast or ovarian cancer. Together, you and your doctor can decide what is best for you.
Regular high-quality screening mammograms and clinical breast exams are the most sensitive ways to screen for breast cancer. Insurance plans governed by the federal Affordable Care Act must cover screening mammography as a preventive benefit every 1–2 years for women age 40 and over without requiring copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles. Shawnee Health Service Navigators are available to help you understand things like Essential Health Benefits and how these will help improve your health. If you do not have health insurance, Navigators can help you get coverage during Open Enrollment beginning November 1.
In addition, be sure to get your well-woman exam every year. Use this visit to talk with your doctor or nurse about important screenings and services to help you stay healthy. To make your well-woman exam appointment with Shawnee Health Care, OB/GYN, call (618) 519-9200.
Supporting the fighters, admiring the survivors, honoring the taken, and never, ever giving up hope.