GREENVILLE — Despite early morning darkness and wet and cold conditions, Wayne HealthCare hosted its inaugural “Brake for Breakfast” event.
According to event organizers, the goal is to promote awareness of breast cancer treatment and diagnostic options for Darke Countians.
“We’re trying to get everyone involved in learning about breast health and options here as far as mammograms and testing we have here,” said Stephanie Buchanan, general surgeon at Wayne.
“One of the goals is awareness, then also we don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t afford a mammogram or can’t get a mammogram for any reason, so we want everyone to get screened,” she added.
Early morning commuters were flagged down by volunteers to drive through and pick up a light breakfast of an apple, muffin and water, as well as literature educating women about mammograms, cancer care services and financial resources. Organizers prepared 450 of the packets to distribute.
“We’re here today to encourage every woman to get screened for breast cancer,” said Wayne Cancer Coordinator Jill Brown. “In Darke County we have a lot of resources. There’s absolutely no reason for anyone not to be screened. We work very closely with Breast Cancer Awareness of Darke County. We will give a free mammogram to anyone that’s under-insured or uninsured. We want to push the point, too, that we have the latest in technology. We have 3-D mammography here at Wayne, the same as the Dayton hospitals.”
“Early detection is the best detection. We need to get it early while it’s curable. What women need to know is 70 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no risk factors,” Brown added.
KICKS 96 FM was on hand to cover the event, broadcasting live and conducting interviews with hospital staffers.
Though men can get breast cancer, it is more likely to develop in women. According to U.S. health statistics, one in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, while that number drops to one in 1,000 for men.
Brucie Good, a mammographer at Wayne, said, “Definitely early detection is the key. We want to get it and image it before you can feel it.”
To schedule a mammogram at Wayne, call Wayne HealthCare Central Scheduling at 937-547-5715. To discuss cancer care and resources, contact Jill Brown at 937-547-5079.
