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Whether you are a mom, businesswoman, or the first lady of the united states, there’s no amount of work that should keep you away from scheduling an appointment for a mammogram. So if you are over 40 years old, Dr. Jill Biden wants you to prioritize your health!
“I get it. You‘re busy. There are kids or grandkids to look after. You have so many things to take care of,” Biden says in a new public service announcement (PSA). “Take a moment to put your health first. Get your mammogram. It might save your life. And nothing on your to-do list is more important than that.”
And we couldn’t agree more, as HOLA! USA previously reported October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), between 2009 and 2013, the overall incidence of breast cancer in the US was 123.3 cases per 100,000 annually. The World Health Organization also informed that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women and the second leading cause of cancer death. Each year, the non-discriminatory disease claims the lives of hundreds of thousands of women.
According to the CDC, after 40, women should talk to their doctors or other health care professionals about scheduling regular breast examinations. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an organization working on the best way to prevent diseases while making recommendations on how doctors can help patients avoid diseases or find them early. As reported by the CDC, the USPSTF recommends that women 50 to 74 years old get a mammogram every two years.
Dr. Biden‘s latest PSA is part of Lifetime’s Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign; however, the United States First Lady started encouraging women to educate about breast cancer in 1993, when four of her friends were diagnosed with the disease, as reported by People.
Dr. Biden “launched the Biden Breast Health Initiative to educate Delaware high school girls about the importance of early detection,” according to her official White House bio. “As First Lady, Dr. Biden continues to stress the importance of cancer research and early detection efforts, especially in underrepresented communities and rural areas.”
Dr. Biden invites people assigned female at birth to visit cancer.gov or to call 1-800-4-Cancer to get more information, including a fact sheet about mammograms.
“Between work, taking care of kids and grandkids, and all the demands of hectic modern life, women so often put themselves — and their health — last,” Elizabeth Alexander, the first lady’s communications director, tells People. “Plus, with the global pandemic, many people have put off important health screenings, including mammograms. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the first lady is asking women to put their health first and schedule their mammogram if it’s time.”