Special event held to promote womens breast health – Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)

NEWBURGH, Ind. (WEHT)- During the shutdowns, many women didnt get the crucial imaging needed to detect breast cancer a mammogram. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women.

Ascension St. Vincent hospitals are trying to make up for lost time by offering more time for women to get a life-saving test. When the pandemic started some screenings, like mammograms, were put on pause.

During that time more than 2,500 women in the St. Vincent group missed their scheduled time. Directors of St Vincent Breast Centers around the state realized how detrimental to patients health this could be, so Friday night, across the state, mammograms are being given after hours.

It is proven that early detection is truly the key to long term survival and cure, Sheila Hauck says. Shes the director of the Breast Center for Ascension St. Vincent in Warrick County. She along, with other directors around the state, had an idea, to make up for lost time, they extended their hours and became available to work around busy schedules.

Pam Kinney a recent breast center patient says she understands the need for extended hours, I work those same hours theyre open so it is sometimes hard to get there and I work with people who obviously encourage you do that and we make that work but some companies dont have that option.

Its easy to just sometimes forget about your own health, Hauck explains. And so this is one of the times where were really promoting wellness and early detection is the key for long-term survival.

Appointments after five in the evening opened up.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation predicts just this year there will be more than 276 thousand invasive breast cancer diagnoses and more than 42 thousand breast cancer deaths.

It is scary. Cancer is a very scary word. We know that but we also know that today in 2020 work hearing more people than ever. But Hauck and her team say theyre ready to help push through the scary parts. Come on in, were here to help you allay your fears and walk with you.

Patients will receive their results in about a week.

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(This story was originally published on July 31, 2020)

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Special event held to promote womens breast health - Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)