I was preparing a segment on Breast Cancer Awareness Month for our new show, California Tonight, and I kept picturing people tuning out.
Yes, it’s important information. But also, people have likely heard the reminders to get regular screenings many times. They become easy to ignore.
So I started thinking about the reasons I kick myself into gear to schedule my own mammograms. They all have names. My beloved Aunt Judy, my college friend Jill Jacoby, one of my besties, Margaret Teichert, and many more — the list is infuriatingly long.
I shared all of this with our viewers tonight, in the hopes of reaching everyone who needs a reminder that breast cancer has a survival rate of 99% when it’s caught and treated early, before it has a chance to spread.
Marissa Bashore, Health Education Supervisor for the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, joined us live to talk about free mammograms available this month. She noted that in Sacramento County, about a third of eligible individuals are not up to date on their breast cancer screenings.
With one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, please consider this your reminder to take care of yourself.
Resources
Sacramento
UC Davis Health is providing free mammograms for uninsured or underinsured individuals aged 40-74.
The screenings will be available on October 17 and 18, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center, 4860 Y St., Sacramento.
Appointments are required and can be scheduled by calling 916-734-0655, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Slots fill quickly so people are encouraged to call as soon as possible.
UC Davis Health has partnered with WellSpace Health to connect patients with follow-up care or additional testing if needed.
Click here for more information.
Statewide
The Every Woman Counts program is run by the State of California, providing free breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services and treatment referrals to eligible uninsured and underinsured low-income California residents.
24/7 multi-language hotline: (800) 511-2300
This story was featured as part of our new California Tonight show. It airs Monday-Friday at 7:30 p.m. Watch on KCRA and KSBW.