A newsletter for the students, faculty and staff of the Collin County Community College District. Published monthly. For information or submissions, call 972.599.3142. Cougar News welcomes student and faculty submissions. Next deadline: March 10. All submissions are due by 5 p.m. on the due date. Photos cannot be returned. Text should be emailed to mrobinson@ccccd.edu or sent on disk. Please submit copy that is proofed, edited and saved in Word format. Cougar News staff: Lisa Vasquez, director; Mark Robinson, editor; Marcy Cadena-Smith, contributor; Sydney Portilla-Diggs, campus correspondent; Stephanie Hall, student correspondent; Jennifer Brooks, student correspondent; Mae Nguyen, special contributor; Siulan Thomas, special contributor; Amy Lenhart, special contributor; Nick Young, photographer; layout by public relations.
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Early detection key to survival
By Stephanie Hall
Student Correspondent
Women who want to take control of their health can sign up for an appointment to receive a mammogram this spring.
Trained medical personnel from the Baylor Breast Imaging Center mobile unit will visit Collin from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday, April 3.
An appointment is required and those interested are urged to sign up early, according to Dr. Linda Adams, wellness program director for Collin.
“Last year there was a waiting list.”
This year the mobile unit will accommodate about 40 applicants. The standard co-pay for this procedure is typically a little over $100, but if a person has Blue Cross Blue Shield as an insurance provider, then the co-pay for the mammogram will cost $10.30.
Teachers and students can request an appointment no matter what insurance provider they have. In the past, the medical personnel have made an effort to accommodate low-income individuals without insurance, said Adams.
“It is very important for women to be aware of their health,” said Adams. “One in eight women will get breast cancer once. Early detection can mean survival if the cancer is caught in time."
Mammograms can help catch the cancer before it becomes a danger. Adams recommends for any woman over the age of 35 to consider a base exam, and women over the age of 40 to get a mammogram once a year. A mammogram is an x-ray, but in low dosage, Adams said.
“The dosage is actually less than what you would receive when getting a dental x-ray.”
Adam’s own mother took advantage of the services offered by Baylor three years ago and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Thankfully they caught it in time and were able to remove the cancer,” said Adams.
Interested individuals should take a few things into consideration.
“Age and medical history are important factors in deciding whether or not to get a mammogram,” Adams said. “Talk to a physician to find out if a mammogram is the right decision for you.”
To make an appointment, or for more information, please call 800.422.9567.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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