Columbus, OH,
04
November
2019
|
16:56 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

NBC4: Anchors Get Mammograms Together at OhioHealth

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NBC4 Cancer

With the responsibilities of raising a family, working or just day to day stresses, it can be easy to put your health screenings on the back burner. Two local news anchors recently realized they were in the same boat after realizing it had been years since they had their screening mammograms. And this year, they decided to put themselves first for an afternoon and get screened – together.

When NBC4 news anchors, Darlene Hill and Colleen Marshall, discovered that they both were overdue for their annual mammograms they wanted to do something about. So they scheduled mammography appointments together at the OhioHealth Arthur G.H. Bing, MD, Cancer Center. For some women, these appointments can be intimidating, so why not do it with a friend?

"It helped us to test the ta-ta's together," said Hill. "Sadly we get busy we forget and sometimes we don't put ourselves on the list because that list is just too long."

“I’m embarrassed to admit, I found out today, it’s been five years since I had a mammogram and I’m supposed to be doing it every year. We all are,” said Marshall.

Hill and Marshall walked into their appointments together laughing and smiling. For something a little more serious, making it an adventure with a friend can help ease some of the stress. But it is important for women to keep getting their yearly mammograms as breast cancer survival rates increase with early detection.

"10 minutes, that's it. It was a little uncomfortable for both us. Uncomfortable but worth it," said Hill.

So how does a mammogram actually work in terms of screening?

"What happens is the tube moves in an arch over your breast and takes multiple images and then the computer reconstructs your breast in 1-millimeter thicknesses," said Mary Pat Borgess, MD, radiologist with Riverside Radiology and Interventional Associates at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.  

Yearly mammograms provide the best chance of catching breast cancer.

"We do see cancer that probably wouldn't have been picked up for three or four years," said Dr. Borgess.

If you’re intimidated by getting an annual mammogram, try to make it fun by scheduling your next mammogram with a friend. You could even make a day of it and grab lunch or dinner after to celebrate taking care of yourselves.

OhioHealth recommends women follow the current National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines below.

  • Screening mammogram beginning at age 40 for all women
  • An annual clinical breast exam by a doctor
  • Monthly breast self-exams
  • Specific mammogram screening guidelines can be discussed with your OhioHealth physician

Mammography has proven to save lives through early detection.

Women should talk to their doctors about the screening that is right for their individual needs. Women at high risk for breast cancer may need more frequent or earlier mammogram screening.

To find an OhioHealth mammography location convenient for you, please click here.