A story of two women

Patricia Shannon, a 48-year old African-American, has been getting an annual mammogram for several years, thanks to the DMH Mammography Initiative program.

“Before that, I wasn’t getting (mammograms) regularly because of the expense,” Patricia says. “(This past) February, my mammogram showed a spot even though I couldn’t feel anything wrong, yet.”

More extensive testing indicated that Patricia had malignant cells. After a lumpectomy and a second surgery to remove some lymph nodes, Patricia is receiving chemotherapy and will then have radiation.

Story and photos of 2006 Race for the Cure; pages 7-10

“(The Mammography Initiative) helped me tremendously,” Patricia says. “Many women would be reluctant to go in for a mammogram if they don’t have insurance and can’t afford it, so this program is wonderful.”

Fifty-one year old Vicki Mize was not getting regular mammograms until she began using the DMH Mammography Initiative several years ago. In March, a mammogram revealed cancer. After more testing and two surgeries, Vicki is now receiving radiation treatments.

“They (the staff at the DMH Women’s Health and Breast Center) are an awesome bunch of people,” Vicki says. “They supported me through the entire process, calling me once a week to see how I was doing.”

“There are lots of women in the same position I was in, thinking ‘how am I going to go through this AND pay for it,’” Vicki says. “If there is no money, then some women don’t do it. “Using the Mammography initiative program was like a weight being lifted off my shoulders. The Lord was looking out for me.

“I will never skip another year for a mammogram and I will never be too busy,” she vows. “If I would have waited, the prognosis wouldn’t have been very good.”

Funded by the annual Race for the Cure, the Mammography Initiative has provided 9,800 eligible women with free mammograms since Decatur held its first Race 16 years ago. Of those women screened, 64 breast cancers have been detected.

New for this funding year is the breast MRI grant. This Komen Foundation grant provides diagnostic breast MRI’s for those women who have been referred to receive an MRI and meet the Mammography Initiative guidelines.

To schedule an appointment or for more information about the Mammography Initiative, call 217-876-1111.

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