Start the Week Off Right: UnityPoint Health - Trinity offers extended mammogram hours in October
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when communities are decorated in pink — from ribbons to lapels — to raise awareness about the importance of early detection through mammograms.
One in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime — a sister, mother, friend or coworker. That's why annual mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage.
Extended mammogram hours
UnityPoint Health-Trinity wants to ensure women have access to these vital screenings by offering mammograms on Saturdays and introducing walk-in Wednesday appointments throughout the month of October.
Hours are as follows:
Offering extended hours for mammograms is crucial in making breast cancer screenings more accessible to women with busy schedules. Many women juggle work, family and other commitments, making it tough to schedule appointments during traditional business hours. By extending availability, we hope more women can prioritize their health without sacrificing other responsibilities.
Who should get a mammogram and when?
It's recommended that screenings start at age 40, or sooner, if you're at a higher risk for breast cancer. Women should also complete monthly self-breast exams to note changes in the look or feel of the breast.
Mammograms do make a difference
Mammograms can detect breast cancer in the earliest of stages. Cancers detected early tend to have better treatment and survival outcomes.
Annette Ceckanowicz, of Aledo, Illinois, was able to detect her breast cancer early through a routine mammogram at UnityPoint Health-Trinity. She was diagnosed with stage zero breast cancer in October 2018.
"It's devastating to hear the words, you have cancer," Ceckanowicz said. "And what surprised me was I had no family history of breast cancer and no symptoms like lumps in my breasts. It was all inside my body — I could never have felt it."
Ceckanowicz had a double mastectomy in December of that year and was declared cancer free at the end of the month. She urges all women — and men ̄ to stay on top of their health and get their mammogram today.
"You don't have to wait until October — waiting one more month can make a difference; waiting six more months can make a big difference," she said.
Schedule your mammogram
With access to state-of-the-art screening technology and locations in Iowa and Illinois, UnityPoint Health-Trinity is making it easier than ever for women to schedule this potentially life-saving screening.
To schedule a Saturday appointment in October, call 309-779-5870. Walk-in appointments on Wednesdays are first-come, first-serve. It's important to remember that mammograms can be scheduled any time of the year — don't wait. For weekday appointments in the Quad-Cities, call 309-779-5870 and in Muscatine call 563-264-9205. This is the time to act early so you can be confident about your health.
Melinda Hass, MD, is Medical Director for Trinity Breast Cancer.
