Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: A Survivor’s Advice

RICHMOND, Va. - Breast cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer for women in Virginia, following skin cancer, according to state statistics, and it is also the most treatable cancer if detected early. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to bring attention to the disease and to the importance of early detection.

Elaine Puckett, a 62-year-old New Castle resident diagnosed with breast cancer this year following her yearly mammogram, says a year can make all of the difference in the world.

"The year before, there was nothing there, and then when I went this year, they said there was a shadow. If I wouldn't have gone yearly, there is a possibility that I would not have caught it in time."

Following her diagnosis, Puckett had a mastectomy and is now cancer-free. Puckett does not have health insurance, but received help through her local Community Health Center. She cautions women not to let the lack of funds or health insurance stand in the way of early detection, which she says may have saved her life.

"Check with local clinics. Check the health department. Call your hospitals to find out. Just anything you can do, just make sure you get your yearly mammogram."

Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer deaths among women. One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes in the United States, according to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Experts suggest that women begin yearly mammograms at the age of 40. Free mammograms are available to women who qualify in Virginia through the program Every Woman's Life. Help is also available at many of the Community Health Centers throughout the state.

To find a Community Health Center near you call: 1-877-508-3827.

State data are at www.vahealth.org

(source:publicnewsservice.org)