A Mammogram Saved My Mother’s Life

I am such a huge advocate of getting regular checkups at the doctor. I know a lot of people who don't trust them and would rather self-medicate than have a professional tell them what to do. However, considering the long medical history my family has, I always push for people to get checkups done because it could save their family's life like it did mine.

October is breast cancer awareness month and back in 2012, my mom was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. Because it was caught early she was able to get the necessary treatment in time before it got worse. She got the best care from one of the best hospitals in the country, Johns Hopkins. Thankfully she did not have to undergo chemo but only had to do a few months of radiation.

It was because my mom knew to look out for the signs that her life was saved. The second she felt like something was off with her body she went and got checked out. Did you know that most women die of breast cancer simply because they don't know the signs and don't get mammograms?

According to Edward-Elmhurst Health, the top reasons why women avoid getting mammograms is because they think it hurts, they are scared of the results, they think their boobs are too small to form lumps, and they feel healthy.

However, a mammogram can detect cancer before it can even be felt. According to Carol Milgard Breast Center, women whose breast cancer is detected at an early stage have a 93 percent or higher survival rate.

So if this is the sign you needed to go get a mammogram...do it. It could save your life.