October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

1 in 8.

That is how many American women will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer in their lifetime. That is why October has become "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," and why some hospitals offer special mammogram events this month. It's incredibly important to follow the recommended guidelines for how often to receive mammograms. Mammograms are a screening procedure that is crucial in early cancer detection - in fact, they are able to detect up to 92% of cancer.

Cypress got the chance to get some firsthand insight into what mammography entails and why it is so vitally important to women's health. At Methodist North, the Director of Radiology Services led me to the room in which they perform mammography screenings. He also kindly introduced me to the "Chief Mammographer," Donna Morris, who has worked for Methodist for over 20 years and performs about 350 mammograms every month. That number rises even higher during the month of October because of the public effort to raise breast cancer awareness. Morris explained that mammograms are vital to detecting breast cancer early. "Early detection is key," she emphasized. Mammograms are the very first line in defense of breast cancer.

While mammograms are very important, giving yourself monthly breast exams can help you detect any unusual lumps or knots early. "Many women aren't aware of just how hard they have to press, because some of these knots are so deep in the breast tissue," Hodges explained. Many women also don't know to also check the tissue near their armpits, which may cause them to miss something.

1 in 8 women are diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Catch it early, do a monthly breast exam and get a mammogram yearly.