October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and healthcare providers at the Orange City Area Health System are urging women to schedule their annual mammograms.
Breast cancer continues to be one of the highest-diagnosed cancers for women in both Iowa and across the United States. However, local healthcare experts note that many patients still delay essential screenings due to busy schedules, fear, or long gaps between visits.
Reason Behind the Scans
Jenny Campbell, manager of the radiology department at Orange City Area Health System speaking on a Daily Grind episode last week, explains what drives her team every day.
“I got into health care very, very young and then focused my path down the radiology pathway, um, because we are the finders, we are the ones who take the pictures that start that journey. And whether it’s, it’s a good journey or, or a really tough journey, um, I think just having the ability to, to get that started and to possibly provide the best outcomes possible, um, is, um, the why.”
Calming Fears
Sarah Van Beek, a mammography expert at Orange City Area Health System also speaking on the Daily Grind episode last week, shares how staff support patients from the moment they step into the dedicated women’s imaging waiting area.
“There are some people who walk in and they are really afraid because they found something. And, you know, we get to be the people who calm that fear and walk with them and explain what’s going to happen for the day and explain the things the doctor tells them.”
What to Expect
- Time Commitment: A typical mammogram takes less than 20-minutes
- Advanced Technology: Modern facilities use 3D tomography to view precise tissue and compare it to previous years.
- Screening Guidelines: The American Cancer Society recommends starting routine mammograms at age forty, or ten years prior to a close relative’s diagnosis if there is a family history.
Patients looking to schedule a screening can make a phone call to (712) 737-2000 or book online.
