DALLAS — Medical City Healthcare providers are sporting pink exam gloves for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pink gloves are one of many efforts and events intended to serve as reminders to follow through on breast health fundamentals, including regular breast self-exams and annual screening mammograms.
“These screening tools continue to be critical for detecting breast cancer as early as possible, which helps save lives,” says Joseph Parra, MD, chief medical officer for Medical City Healthcare. “Our October pink gloves effort serves as a unique – and we hope, effective – reminder about performing self-exams and making those important mammography appointments. We want to help create healthier tomorrows for North Texans.”
According to American Cancer Society statistics, women whose breast cancer is detected at an earlier, localized stage have a five-year relative survival of 90% or greater. To support early detection, women of average risk should begin monthly breast self-exams at age 20 and start annual screening mammograms at age 40. The first mammogram will also identify whether a woman has dense breast tissue, which can increase the risk of breast cancer.
While some risk factors, such as genetics, are unavoidable, some things can be done to help lower breast cancer risk. These include:
- Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly
- Choose not to drink alcohol, or drink alcohol in moderation
- Ask your doctor about risks associated with hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills
- Breastfeed your children
For help with cancer-related questions, Medical City Healthcare offers access to its free, askSARAH helpline, part of Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare. Specially trained nurses are available 24/7, and all calls are confidential. Contact askSARAH at (972) 202-8877.
About Medical City Healthcare
Committed to the care and improvement of human life, Medical City Healthcare strives to deliver excellence always, providing high-quality healthcare in the communities it serves. With the resources and strength of HCA Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of quality healthcare services with 186 hospitals in the United States and England, Medical City Healthcare is one of the North Texas region’s largest and most comprehensive healthcare providers. It includes 16 hospitals with 3,696 licensed beds, nearly 5,000 active physicians, 6,000 nurses, 17,000 employees, 12 ambulatory surgery centers, 5 off-campus emergency rooms and 47 CareNow Urgent Care clinics. Three Medical City Healthcare hospitals are accredited comprehensive stroke centers, 10 hospitals “A” safety-rated by the Leapfrog Group and 6 hold prestigious Magnet Recognized® designations on 10 campuses from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
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