Sunday, April 27, 2025

For the average healthy woman, mammograms should be done every 2-years, beginning at age 50 until 69. But a survey by the Canadian Cancer Society found 62% of women had no idea when the screening should start. And what’s more disappointing, only 61% of women are making use of the screening program. Maria Hayes reports.

It took 52-year old Brenda North 6-months to muster up the courage to go for a mammogram. Supported by her partner Dave and 26-year old daughter.

“I felt a lump. i knew in my own mind that it was going to be cancer, and I just didn’t want to deal with it at the time. When I met this wonderful man, he pushed me and he told my daughter about it. I went and found a doctor here in Hamilton and did all the steps I needed to do to get rid of the lump and get rid of cancer.”

Those steps began a little over a year ago. Brenda’s cancer was stage 3. Her treatment included surgery, chemo and radiation. But today she wonders what might have been, if she had a mammogram at 50. “I look back and think to myself wow! if I had of had that done this would have been caught a lot sooner. Wouldn’t have had chemo maybe. Radiation, I wouldn’t have had 6 wks of as well. So my life probably would have been on track a lot quicker.”

Now a cancer survivor, Brenda hopes to help other women overcome their fear and uncertainty about mammograms and treatment. She’s part of a new Canadian Cancer Society campaign called Women to Women.

Lynda MacNiven is with the Canadian Cancr Society: “We know that, next to their healthcare provider, women listen to other women when it comes to their health.”

And so the Cancer Society is calling on survivors, volunteers even employees with the organization to act as ambassadors, and initiate a conversation.

MacNiven: “What we’re asking ambassadors to do is really simple. We’re asking them to have 10-conversations with women they know. And share the message online.”

One of the tools to aid the talk is a “thing a ma boob.” It shows the average size of lumps found through various methods. The smallest, picked up during regular mammograms. a stark contrast to Brenda’s lump that was the size of an avocado pit.

The Canadian Cancer Society is looking for more ambassadors. To register you can visit their website www.cancer.ca/womentowomen