October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 03 October 2022 03 October 2022

Early detection saves lives, and that life could be your own

SANTA FE – New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month by reminding New Mexicans to schedule their annual cancer screenings. Spread the word about mammograms – with early detection and treatment, most women can survive breast cancer.

“The best protection is early detection,” said Jodi McGinnis Porter, DOH communications director and breast cancer survivor. “I’m here today because my cancer was caught early and treated. Please don’t delay care, get checked and schedule your annual mammogram.” 

Breast cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer in women. In 2022, an estimated 290,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. About one in eight women in the U.S. will get breast cancer at some point.

Although it is rare, men get breast cancer too. In 2022, an estimated 2,720 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. and approximately 530 men will die from breast cancer.

DOH reports that breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women in the state and the second leading cause of cancer death among New Mexico women.  This year, we estimate 1,512 women will be diagnosed with cancer in New Mexico and sadly, an estimated 279 women will die of breast cancer in our state.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are several different symptoms for breast cancer and some people don’t have symptoms at all. However, there are common risk factors that include: 

  • Being a woman
  • Being older (most breast cancers are found in women 50 years-old and older)
  • Having a strong family history of breast cancer
  • Having changes in your BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes

Some of the following guidelines may lower your risk for developing breast cancer:

  • Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly.
  • Don’t drink alcohol, or limit the amount of alcohol you drink.
  • If you are taking hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills, ask your doctor about the risks.
  • Breastfeed your children, if possible.

All screening tests have benefits and risks, so it is important to talk to your doctor before getting any screening test, including a mammogram. If the cost of a mammogram is an issue, call the New Mexico DOH Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (BCC) toll-free hotline at 1-833-525-1811 to find a participating medical provider in your area. Our hotline provides services in English, Spanish and other languages. You may be eligible for a free mammogram (or cervical cancer screening) if you:

  • Have a low income
  • Have little or no insurance
  • Are a woman (including a transgender woman or man)

The medical provider’s office will let you know if you are eligible for the BCC Program. For more information, please visit our website at: https://www.nmhealth.org/about/phd/pchb/bcc 

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.