Mother’s encouraged to take care of their health this Mother’s Day

This Mother’s Day honor your mother by encouraging her to take care of herself.  All too often mothers spend their time and energy nurturing others. Busy schedules and being pulled in several directions often leads to overlooking the very person who cares for everyone else. 

Each year in New York, nearly 15,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and about 2,700 women die from the disease. These women are our wives, mothers, sisters and friends.

The mission of the Southern Tier Cancer Services Program (CSP) is to ensure that all age-appropriate women, despite insurance status, have access to breast cancer screening. Uninsured women who are 40 years of age and older may be able to get breast cancer screening through the Cancer Services Program.

Carrie Horton, coordinator of the CSP, urges all women to talk to their doctor about breast cancer screening and their personal risk for the disease. 

“A woman’s best chance for survival is finding breast cancer early through regularly scheduled mammograms,” says Horton. “Our program has helped thousands of women access breast cancer screening for over 20 years.”

Lisa Starks, age 49 of Endicott, has been a hairdresser for over 30 years. She is a mother of two – Joshua, 23, and Chantel, 18. In May, Lisa found a breast lump but put off going to see her primary care provider because she did not have health insurance to cover the costs of screenings. She was busy with her daughter graduating high school, and was also afraid of getting bad news.

“Mothers tend to put everyone and everything ahead of themselves,” said Starks. “Lack of health insurance also made me afraid because I knew the bills would add up and, being a single mom, it made me delay seeking care.”

After her primary care provider saw her, Lisa was referred to a breast surgeon who referred her to the Southern Tier Cancer Services Program to assist with payment for her breast screening services. 

Lisa was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer at the end of July. She met with staff from the Cancer Services Program who assisted with an application for insurance coverage throughout her treatment. Looking back, Lisa is relieved she finally made an appointment for her breast cancer screenings and encourages other women to be screened and not put it off. 

Stark added, “There is help out there. Go get screened. Do not put yourself last and everything else ahead of you. I feel lucky that I received help through the Cancer Services Program. The bills are no longer a fear for me so I can now focus on my health and my children.” 

Breast cancer is most commonly found in women 50 years old or older. The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends a mammogram every two years for women between 50 and 74 years of age. Women ages 40 to 49 years old are encouraged to talk to their health care providers about when and how often they should have screening mammograms. Any woman who is at high risk for breast cancer, as determined by a doctor, may need to begin screening earlier. Any woman, or man, who has symptoms or changes in their breasts, should schedule an appointment with their doctor immediately. While very rare, it is possible for men to get breast cancer.

Although the causes of breast cancer are still unknown, some factors may increase a woman’s chances of getting the disease: getting older – most women are diagnosed when they are 50 years of age or older; having a first menstrual period younger than the age of 12; starting menopause older than 55 years of age; never giving birth, or giving birth to a first child after age 30; not breastfeeding; having had breast cancer or some non-cancerous breast diseases; having a close family member (parent, sibling, child) who has had breast cancer, especially at an early age; having certain gene mutations such as BRCA 1 or BRCA 2; being overweight or obese; drinking alcohol; not getting enough exercise; exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation to the chest area early in life; and long-term use of hormone replacement therapy.

Even if a woman has one or more of these risk factors, it does not mean she will get breast cancer. And, women with few or no risk factors may develop breast cancer. This is why screening is important for all women.

Regularly scheduled breast cancer screening increases the chances that cancer is found in its earliest stages, and the earlier the better. 

“Good health is the greatest gift! Getting screened for breast cancer saves lives! We encourage mothers to take care of themselves just as they take care of others.” Horton said.

Contact the Southern Tier Cancer Services Program by calling (607) 778-3900. Visit the New York State Department of Health website for more information about breast cancer, including prevention, diagnosis and treatment.