During March, BYU has reserved a room at Utah Valley Hospital for any student, faculty, staff or spouses to get a mammogram.
Staff and students have to book an appointment with a registered BYU account. The screening is conveniently located near campus, only takes 20 minutes and is accepting of most insurances. Appointments are encouraged for adults 40 years or older unless there is a reason for concern, according to Juleah Roberts, the administrative assistant in the BYU Student Health Center.
Appointments are open for sign-up through the BYU Wellness Program. Walk-ins will be accepted. Screenings are available Monday through Friday during specific morning and afternoon hours.
According to the CDC, “Breast cancer screening means checking a woman’s breasts for cancer before there are signs or symptoms of the disease.”
The screening is an X-ray that is not preventative, but it is how the disease can be caught and treated early on. In many cases symptoms are undetectable and screening is the only way to catch the disease, the CDC said.
Almost 290,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the United States, according to the BYU Wellness Program. The disease can be extremely taxing and even deadly which is why student Alisha Hansen believes all BYU affiliates should be screened.
Hansen’s mom was persuaded to go get screened in 2016 by a friend who went in for annual screenings. Hansen and her family were taken by complete surprise to find out their mom had stage 3 breast cancer.
The half-hour Hansen’s mom took to screen added years onto her life. Everyone can capitalize on this opportunity given by BYU and the Utah Valley Hospital.
BYU student Ella Baker was not aware of Mammogram March but appreciates that BYU provides the opportunity, especially during Women’s History Month. “I would encourage students just to be in tune and aware of their bodies. It’s not super common to get breast cancer at our age but you never know, so stay safe,” Baker said.
