Five Great Reasons to Plan Your Next Mammogram Today

A mammogram is one of the good things you can do for yourself 
— for your health and for your peace of mind. 

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Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Yet a third of women over forty haven’t had a screening in the past two years. If one of these women is you, the San Fernando Community Health Center can help you change that. Here’s why you should:

1. You’ve Celebrated Your 40th Birthday

Women should certainly start getting annual mammograms at age 45, but they can start getting them as early as age forty. Studies show that breast cancer is more aggressive in this age group. When they turn 55, most women can reduce mammograms to every other year.

2. You’re At Increased Risk for Breast Cancer

If you started your period before age twelve, or started menopause after age 55, you could be at increased risk for breast cancer. This is because longer exposure to estrogen in the body means a greater risk of developing the disease.

Another high-risk factor for breast cancer is dense breast tissue. Dense breasts have more fibrous tissue when compared to fatty tissue than normal breasts. They don’t feel any more firm than normal breasts, so the only way to know if you have them is by getting a mammogram.

3. A Mammogram May Be the Only Way to Diagnose Breast Cancer

Women should do self-exams to check for breast cancer, but it’s not enough. By the time you feel a lump or other change in breast tissue, cancer may already have spread to a much larger area inside your body. Mammograms can detect breast cancer up to three years before you would be able to yourself.

Many people believe that women with no family history of breast cancer are safe from the disease, but this isn’t true. Most women who develop breast cancer have no other cases in their families, so they need mammograms as much as everyone else.

4. A Mammogram Isn’t as Scary or Painful as You Think

Here’s what happens during a mammogram: Breasts are placed in a machine and squeezed to spread out the tissue while an x-ray is taken. This is uncomfortable – a lot like the feeling of using a blood pressure cuff – but only lasts a few seconds. Four pictures are taken, from the top and diagonally on each side, then you’re done!

5. Getting a Mammogram Now Can Save You Money Later

The earlier breast cancer is detected, the more treatable it is, and for less money. SFCHC makes getting a mammogram easy. To set up a routine mammogram, just call and request a Telehealth appointment with a nurse practitioner to get a referral. If you’ve noticed a lump, have pain, or just aren’t sure, call to schedule an in-person appointment. We accept a number of insurance plans. For those without insurance, SFCHC offers a sliding fee scale based on household size and income.

Your health and comfort are important to us. Call us at (818) 963-5690 today, and take planning this important screening off your to-do list.

Mammograms are safe and recommended for women forty years of age or older. 
Schedule your appointment with us today. 

Mammogram referral appointments are available via Telehealth, at the SFCHC location on Mott Street in San Fernando, and at our Lanark Street location in Panorama City.

Author

Heather Hillstrom For several years, Heather Hillstrom has proudly provided copywriting and videography services to support SFCHC's mission of compassionate care for all who need it. She gained much of her experience and education at prominent advertising and marketing firms, with clients in healthcare, real estate, medical technology, and environmental products and activism, among others. Her writing portfolio includes DVD/Blu-ray bonus features for Paramount’s RANGO and Disney’s LOST, nearly all the content for the latter’s companion website Lost University, and a radio and television campaign that aired during the Olympics. She wrote on the multi-award-winning web series NONE IN THE OVEN and her feature script HIT OR STAND was a Second Rounder at Austin Film Festival and a PAGE Awards quarterfinalist. Many of her projects and awards can be viewed at www.hungrypictures.com.