According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in four Iowa women age 40 and over have not received a mammogram in the past two years. The American Cancer Society wants to know why. Mammotives.org is a forum for Iowa women, age 40+, to talk about what influences their decisions to get recommended breast cancer screening (routine mammograms). The discussion on Mammotives.org will help promote the future health of Iowa women.
Who Can Participate and How?
During the month of October and into November, all Iowa women age 40+ are invited to participate in an ongoing discussion on Mammotives.org. The website will feature a series of questions related to breast cancer screening and other health behaviors. Readers are welcome to respond to blog posts and to other guests’ comments.
You may comment as little or often as you like. Please feel free to use your name, or respond anonymously. By analyzing the comments submitted to the Mammotives blog, Facebook page and Twitter account, we hope to understand what keeps some Iowa women from getting recommended breast cancer screening. No personal information is requested from you. We are only looking to hear your thoughts and opinions. The Mammotives team will not contact any commenter directly, though we will gladly respond to any questions sent to mammotives@canceriowa.org.
Thank you for visiting Mammotives.org. We hope to see you in the comments!
I have a family history of breast cancer, and that is what has motivated me to get a yearly mammogram every year since I turned 40. I remember dreading the day that I would have my first mammogram, having heard horror stories. But it isn’t painful, just a bit uncomfortable. I know that it would be much worse to experience an advanced stage of breast cancer because I didn’t get a mammogram to detect it early – and when I think about it that way, I have no complaints.
My sister was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37. She died at age 49. I was advised to get mammograms every 6 months after my sister’s death. I have very dense breast tissue and have many lumps and bumps. I feel like the mammograms only point out the fact that it will be difficult to find a lesion if one ever appears. Mammograms seem to be a constant reminder of my sister’s death and my possible fate.
I had my physical last week and my doctor wrote an order for my mammogram. It’d been two years since I’d had one. I’ve been having so much chemo treatment for Multiple Myeloma that I haven’t taken the time to deal with this or pap smear as I should have.
I guess I still question whether or not I need a mammogram yearly but expecially whether to have a pap smear yearly. I suspect I will start to become more diligent about the mammogram yearly but porobably wait and do the pap smear every two years.
It’s strange that 3 years ago I had never heard of Multiple Myeloma and now since my mother’s diagnosis I have run into so many people who have had or has a loved one with it and they are all in Iowa. As a daughter, watching my mother go through all of her treatments and appointments, I strongly encourage you to keep up with the rest of your health. I know that you have been poked a lot and gone through a ton of testing but just think of it as one less thing to worry about.
Hope all is well!
Yearly mammograms since age 40. At age 46, I felt a lump while showering and two months later I was going through chemo followed by radiation for stage 1, grade 3, estrogen positive breast cancer. Do not rely on mammograms to “catch” breast cancer! You must also do self-breast exams! No matter what the ACS recommends. There are many cases of mammogram “occult” tumors. Do not let doctors just wait and see…unless you like playing Russian roulette with your life. Do these things for the people you love…your parents, your spouse, your children,…As for daughters of breast cancer patients, the recommendation is 10 years prior to your mother’s age of having cancer. Just this week: if a mother has had breast cancer and carries the BRAC gene, then age 25! Do whatever you believe is right…take care of yourself and listen to your body!