Prose & Comments: Mammogram month

For those of you who may not know, May is mammogram month. This is a reminder about getting a mammogram and to inform women about the dense breast bill that is being discussed in the New York legislation.

Please make sure you request a copy of your mammogram report, which is the information directly from the radiologist that determines if you do have dense breast tissue. If you do, you may need other types of screening.

Please talk to your doctor about this report. Before you leave the mammogram screening, request the report to be mailed to you as soon it is available. This information is your medical record and you should keep all your records.

The reason for this alert is because many women do not know the density of their breast tissue and the high risk factor concerning dense breast tissue.

Due to this inconsistency from the medical community, there is a group of breast cancer survivors who have banded together to create laws so that all women will have the information about this and be able to make an informed decision concerning their own health. Several breast cancer survivors have formed an advocacy group called DENSE (Density Education National Survivors’ Effort). This group is advocating for Breast Density Awareness laws within their own states.

The representative from New York, JoAnn Pushkin, is the director of governmental relations for Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc., an affiliate of Are You Dense, Inc. Dr. Nancy Cappello Ph.D., the founding member and the force behind getting a breast density/inform law in 2009 for the state of Connecticut. This bill mandates the communication of breast density information to the patient through the mammography report. This ground-breaking law has become the rallying point for the advocacy group, DENSE, which consists of breast cancer survivors, all of whom received a later stage diagnosis because breast density interfered with the effectiveness of their mammograms.

In addition to state-by-state efforts, Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc. is working with several members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including sponsors Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT) and Steve Israel (NY) on the imminent introduction of a federal bill.

A woman’s opportunity for an early breast cancer diagnosis should not be dependent upon where she lives, so federal legislation is critical to ensure that women across the country receive information about their own breast density through the mammography lay letter, and, understand the implications of breast density so they can make informed decisions about their health.

This grassroots effort is trying to get the word out. Breast density affects 40 percent of American women. Women with dense breasts are five times more likely to get breast cancer; it is more likely to be aggressive and will be missed on a mammogram at least 40 percent of the time. And, despite these statistics, an astounding 95 percent of women do not know their own breast density. Why? Protocol does not exist for the patient to be supplied this information.

We are at a critical juncture. We have state bills about to be debated and a federal bill about to be drafted. We need to raise awareness and support for an issue women know very little about because they aren’t being told this critical piece of information about their own physiology. Today is the day that all women can make a difference in the state of New York.

I have been in contact with Senator Tim Bishop, Representatives Dan Lasquadro, Fred Thiele, Ed Romaine. They all have personally called and/or written me to support the efforts of the breast density bill in New York. Please call or email your representative to thank them for their support and to continue to fight for this bill.

There is also DENSE, NY on Facebook. Please join us in this fight. Support the efforts to pass New York Breast Density/Inform Law S1883-A sponsored by Sen. John Flanagan, and Assembly Bill A01431-A sponsored by Rep. Audrey Pheffer. Support the effort to pass a federal Breast Density/Inform Law sponsored by Rep. Steve Israel (NY) and Rep. DeLauro (CT).