Booking a mammogram takes just five minutes!
October 3, 2016, Kitchener – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program, in partnership with Cancer Care Ontario, is inviting eligible women to ‘Just Book It’ by scheduling their mammogram appointments.
The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) found that women aged 50 to 54 make up the largest number of screen-eligible women who have not yet had a mammogram.
“Early detection of breast cancer through mammogram screenings means there’s a better chance of treating it successfully,” said Dr. Linda Rabeneck, Vice-President, Prevention and Cancer Control at Cancer Care Ontario. “In 2015, an estimated 9,800 Ontario women were diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 1,900 women died of the disease. That’s why we are inviting eligible women to start screening sooner rather than later.”
Are you eligible for a mammogram? Here’s why you should ‘Just Book It’ today:
1. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Ontario women with one in eight women expected to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
2. The average mammogram screening takes five minutes to book.
3. Breast cancer has one of the highest survival rates when compared to other cancers.
4. Mammograms are still one of the best and most reliable ways to detect breast cancer early on.
5. The OBSP offers important benefits for women, including appropriate and timely follow-up of abnormal findings and ongoing quality monitoring and management.
“Breast cancer occurs primarily in women 50 to 74 years of age, so now is the time for women on the younger end of this age range, from 50 to 54, to start booking their regular mammograms,” said Dr. Samantha Fienberg, Regional Breast Imaging Lead with the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program.
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that is used for screening. A mammogram is administered by a registered medical radiation technologist, and involves a plastic plate that is slowly pressed down to flatten the breast and hold it in place for a few seconds. The patient will feel some pressure on the breast, but this pressure will not harm breast tissue. Mammograms are free of charge to Ontario women who are eligible to be screened.
The following groups of women are eligible for a mammogram through the OBSP:
- Women aged 50 to 74 years who are at average risk for breast cancer. Women are considered eligible for the average risk program if they show no acute breast cancer symptoms, have no personal history of breast cancer, have no current breast implants and have not had a mammogram within the last 11 months. It is recommended that most eligible women get screened every two years.
- Women aged 30 to 69 years who are identified as being at high risk for breast cancer. Starting at age 30, women who may be at high risk for breast cancer can be referred by their healthcare provider to the OBSP High Risk Screening Program based on their family or medical history.
Eligible women are encouraged to book a mammogram at any time by calling 1-800-668-9304. No referral from a doctor is required. More information can be found at www.cancercare.on.ca/justbookit.
Follow Cancer Care Ontario on Twitter and Facebook and join the conversation using the hashtag #JustBookIt.
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About the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program
The Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program coordinates cancer care for residents of Waterloo Wellington region. The program includes services provided at Grand River Hospital’s Grand River Regional Cancer Centre, a top rated cancer centre in Ontario, in partnership with several community hospitals in the region.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Lori Temple, Regional Coordinator, Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program
519-749-4370 ext. 6965