Contact:
Michael J. Bernstein, (703) 648-8910
Meredith Cawley, (703) 648-8928, [email protected]
National Mammography Day Promotes Awareness; Mobile Units Focus on Underserved Areas
More than 2,100 American College of Radiology (ACR) accredited facilities from coast-to-coast will participate in National Mammography Day, October 15, this year. On this day, and throughout the month of October, participating facilities will offer free or reduced-fee mammograms.
For the first time, the ACR has created a special program for ACR-accredited mobile units designed to reach out to underserved communities.
Each year more than 175,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and studies have shown that screening mammography can cut the death rate from breast cancer. National Mammography Day is set aside to create awareness of the importance of mammography screening in early breast cancer detection. It is sponsored by the ACR in cooperation with the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Board of Sponsors.
Guidelines supported by the ACR call for annual mammography screening beginning at age 40. Women also should have an annual breast examination by their physician beginning at age 40 and should practice breast self exam monthly.
To identify which facilities in a given area are taking part in National Mammography Day, women may call any of the following toll-free numbers:
American Cancer Society, 1-800-227-2345; the National Cancer Institute, 1-800-4CANCER (1-800-422-6237); the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations, 1-888-80-NABCO (1-888-806-2226); the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 1-800-I'M AWARE (1-800-462-9273); and Y-ME, 1-800-221-2141.
ACR is the nation's largest accrediting body for mammography, covering more than 9,000 facilities. By law, all mammography facilities must be accredited by an accrediting body and then certified by the Food and Drug Administration.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) is a national organization serving more than 31,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, and medical physicists, with programs focusing on the practice of radiology and the delivery of quality care to patients.
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