ROANOKE, Va. – A local woman’s diligence โขinโ performing self-exams led โฃto a breast cancer diagnosisโ despite 15โ prior โclear mammograms, highlighting the importance of breastโค awareness for early detection.
Forโฃ years, susan firebaugh underwent regular mammogram screenings – a total of 15 – all of which returned โnormalโค results. Though, she noticed a subtle change in โher body and, trusting her instincts, contacted her doctor. Further inquiry revealed she had breast cancer.
“Be very aware โฃof your body, of any changes in your body โinternally โorโข externally.Just know little differences โin how you feel,” Firebaugh advised other women.
Firebaugh underwent chemotherapy and recentlyโ completed successful reconstructionโค surgery.โ During chemotherapy, she experimented with methods โขto mitigate side effects, including cold capping to preserve her hair and cold mittensโ and socks to prevent neuropathy, though she found the latter made treatment days more stressful due โto the discomfort.โ
sarah Samples,โ aโข nurse practitioner at โCarilionโ Clinic’s breast surgeryโ office, emphasizesโฃ that while mammograms are crucial, self-awareness is equallyโ important.โฃ “Knowing yourโ risk can help getting the appropriateโค screenings and imaging in โฃthe appropriate intervals so that anything you might develop, we catch early,” Samples said.โ
Samples recommends women begin practicing breast awareness at age 25, familiarizingโค themselves with their bodies, performing self-exams, and undergoing risk assessments with their primary care physician orโ OBGYN. Doctors willโ assess personalโ and family health historyโ toโข determine appropriate screening schedules. Annualโฃ mammograms are typicallyโ recommended for average-risk women starting at age 40, butโข higher-risk individuals may โขrequire moreโ frequent โขscreenings.
“Breast cancerโ it can largely be sometimes just a simple surgery and maybe a pill for a few years โif we catch it early,” Samples โexplained.
Beyond screenings, Samples stresses the importance of a healthy lifestyle, remaining smoke-free,โข and maintaining โaโฃ healthy weight as preventative measures.
