Mountain ViewHospital Observes National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM).  Since the program began in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined.

This is exciting progress, but there are still many women who do not take advantage of early detection while others receive screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at regular intervals.

•            Women age 65 and older are less likely to get mammograms compared to younger women, even though breast cancer risk increases with age.

•            Hispanic women have fewer mammograms than Caucasian women and African American women.

•            Women below poverty level are less likely than women at higher incomes to have had a mammogram within the past two years.

•            Mammography use has increased for all groups except American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Mountain View Hospital (MVH) has expanded its health and wellness services available to women with the addition of a new Selenia™ digital mammography system from Hologic^®.

Digital mammography allows us to provide our patients with the highest quality of care in the prevention and early detection of breast cancer.  “If all women age 40 and older took advantage of early detection methods – mammography plus a clinical breast exam – breast cancer death rates would drop much further, up to 30 percent,” shares Jill Sansom, MVH Imaging Director.  “The key to mammography screening is that it be done routinely – once is not enough,” Sansom adds.

MVH provides a comprehensive scope of services addressing the physical, emotional and educational needs of our clients. Services include screening programs, diagnosis, intervention, treatment, and management of many different diseases of the breast, and educational and support resources, all within the privacy of our newly remodeled location.

Each and every patient at MVH receives personalized care designed to meet her individual needs. Our staff is highly trained and our equipment is state-of-the art. We are committed to providing exceptional care to the women in our community.

For further information or to schedule and appointment, please call the Mountain View Hospital Imaging Department at 541.475.3882 ext. 2224.  Visit us online at www.mvhd.org.

For more information about NBCAM, please visit www.nbcam.org.  For additional information, please call one of the following toll-free numbers: American Cancer Society, (800) 227-2345, National Cancer Institute (NCI), (800) 4-CANCER, Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, (800) 221-2141.

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Fifteen national public service organizations, professional associations, and government agencies comprise the Board of Sponsors, who work together to ensure that the NBCAM message is heard by thousands of women and their families.