So, it's been two years. I mentioned last year in this column that a mammogram saved my life. Am I grateful! Who would have thought I would need a lifesaving mammogram (special X-rays of the breast that can detect cancer)? I lived a healthy life-never smoked, never a drinker, careful with my diet, and had led an active lifestyle. Fortunately, since I turned 40, I had regular screenings for breast cancer. It saved my life.
At 51, I had a suspicious mammogram, then a needle biopsy, which showed a tiny, aggressive cancer in my breast-so small it was removed by the biopsy itself. I just had to have a little tissue removed, which confirmed it hadn't spread. Because I'd caught it early, I'm cancer-free.
If you're a woman over 40, please get an annual mammogram. If you can't afford one, call the state Department of Health Services at (800) 511-2300. It's Your Life. A message from the California Health Communication Partnership, supported by the Oliver and Jennie Donaldson Charitable Trust.
FACT: A recent study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that mammograms contributed to a 24 percent decline in deaths from breast cancer between 1990 and 2000.
Author: Stacey Moore
Author Bio:
Products that earn the ENERGY STAR prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA and DOE. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov. Using energy efficiently at home can be as easy as changing a light bulb.
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