Health y
What you need to know about mammograms
Health starts at home .
Be proactive by getting your mammogram
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month . As mayor of Somerset , I would like to encourage each of our residents to be proactive in the fight against breast cancer by getting your annual mammogram .
By Carla Slavey
When it comes to beating breast cancer , the rule of thumb is finding it “ the sooner the better .”
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women , second only to skin cancers , and radiologist Dr . Jennifer Smith stressed the importance early detection has on women ’ s lives .
“ For people who just have localize invasive cancer , there ’ s a 99 percent fiveyear survival rate . That goes down to 86 percent if you have regional cancer , and down to 29 percent if you have distant cancer ,” she said .
Smith , who is with the
Lake Cumberland Imaging Center , which is connected to the Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital , explained that local , regional and global are the three categories of where cancer can be found compared to where it originated . And , obviously as seen in the statistics above , if breast cancer can be detected before it spreads , women have a much better chance of surviving it .
In the United States , the rate of breast cancer in women is around 100 to 126 people for every 100,000 in population . However , Kentucky – and particularly Pulaski County – see higher rates at around 127 to 128
Many of us have personally been affected by cancer in our lives or through someone we know . I truly believe that preventative care , early detection , eating healthy and exercise are the best armor in protecting yourself against cancer and so many other illnesses .
Through the City of Somerset ’ s Healthy Somerset initiative , we ’ re encouraging residents to look at their health holistically and embrace ways to improve it mentally , physically and spiritually . As we grow this program , we are constantly looking for resources to share with you , so that we can together become a Healthy Somerset and fight chronic diseases like cancer .
Health starts at home and early prevention is key ! Best wishes for a healthy year ahead and thank you for doing your part to fight breast cancer !
Your Mayor , Alan Keck
Mind . Body . Community .
September 2022 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 15