Med Center Health urges women to get screenings during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

BOWLING GREEN, KY – October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a time to recognize the most common cancer among women.

Nationwide, more than 300,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and over 42,000 will die from the disease.

In Kentucky, around 650 women lose their lives to breast cancer each year. In Warren County, about 85 women are diagnosed every year, while surrounding counties see an average of nearly two dozen new cases annually.

However, the Breast Clinic at Med Center Health in Bowling Green hopes to bring those numbers down, one patient at a time.

“The main message we would like for women to take is to stress the importance of screenings,” said Kayla Smith, nurse practitioner for Med Center Health. “Not only at home, but in clinical exams as well as mammograms annually.”

As Smith mentioned, the clinic offers mammograms, along with follow-up services like advanced imaging, biopsies, and genetic risk assessments – all aimed at catching cancer as early as possible.

“The screenings help us identify cancer earlier and makes treatment much easier on people,” Smith said. “They should start from age 40 to 74. Some people might have more risk factors that they should start at an earlier age, such as 35, but it’s just individualized.”

Smith also said the most important step is regular screenings, because when breast cancer is caught early, survival rates climb to nearly 99 percent. For patients in South Central Kentucky, having care close to home can make all the difference.

“There are different screening events, especially throughout the month of October, for breast cancer awareness,” Smith said. “At Medical Center Health, we have different locations including Albany, Bowling Green, Scottsville, Russellville, Horse Cave and Western Kentucky Diagnostic Imaging, which makes it easier for you all to get those screenings.”

The Breast Clinic welcomes walk-ins Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1P.M. to 2P.M., and appointments are also available.