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The Independent
According to institutions like the American Cancer Society, women age 40 or older should receive mammograms on an annual basis. Early detection is crucial in treating all cancers. Mammography screening helps ensure early detection, which means that treatment can be started earlier in the course of the disease, possibly before it has spread. The American Cancer Society also recommends clinical breast exams at least every 3 years for women older than 20 and every year for women 40 and older.
Residents of southern Utah are affected by fallout from nuclear testing in Nevada, and the National Cancer Institute claims that the correlation between radiation exposure and cancer risk is “the best understood, and certainly the most highly quantified, dose-response relationship for any common environmental human carcinogen.” In addition, the EPA has reported that women’s risk of developing cancer when exposed to radiation is 58% higher than men’s.
The Dixie Regional Medical Center Foundation has the funding available for mammograms to be given at no charge to women who are age 40 or older. Recipients must be uninsured or unable to bear the cost of a mammogram, not currently enrolled in a federal or state-funded program (such as Medicaid or Medicare), and legal residents of Washington or Iron county. Women who believe that they meet these criteria and live near Dixie Regional Medical Center in St. George are encouraged to call (435) 688-6499 to schedule a mammogram. Those who feel that they qualify for free mammography and live near Valley View Medical Center in Cedar City are encouraged to call (435) 868-5300. Women should know how their breasts normally look and feel and report any breast changes to a health care provider right away.
Funding for these mammograms was provided by Susan G. Komen, with matching funds to cover the cost for radiologist readings by the foundations for Dixie Regional and Valley View medical centers.
