Mammogram Saved MyLife by Candis Cohen Information Officer, Medical Board of California (NAPSA)—Here’s a story of how vital it can be to take medicaltests. Not long ago, a mammogram saved mylife. I never thought I'd get breast cancer. I had no history of it in my family—no lump. I wasn’t a smoker, didn’t drink and watched whatI ate. It’s your life: If you’re a woman over 40, get an annual mammogram. ee) Thankfully, each year since I was 40, I got a mammogram (spe- cial x-rays of the breast that can detect cancer). At 51, my mammogram showed I had a problem. I had a needle biopsy to remove a little bit of tissue to test it for cancer. My doctors found a tiny, aggressive cancer in my breast— so small it was actually removed by the biopsy itself. Because I’d caught it so early, my doctors think T’'ll be fine. If you’re a woman over 40, please get an annual mammogram. If you can’t afford one, call your state departmentof health or 1-800-4 CANCER. Here’s an added tip. Early screening is also good for men. It’s worth asking the men in your life who are over 50 if they’ve been screened for prostate cancer. This message comes from the California Health Communication Partnership, which is supported by the Oliver and Jennie Donaldson Charitable Trust.
