Today it’s difficult to find anyone who’s not in some way been affected by breast cancer. A loved one, a friend, a colleague, someone you know or work with has had it, or died from it. Its’ devastating effects are far-reaching. Breast cancer is the number two cause of cancer deaths in women.

Taking charge of your own health and well-being through breast self-exams and having regular mammograms is the smartest thing you, your mother, your grandmother, your daughter, your best friend, can do.

Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in your breast up to two years before you can feel them.

The American Medical Association and the American Cancer Society strongly recommend screening mammography every year beginning at age 40.

If you have had breast cancer or are at increased risk due to your family history, seek advice about when to begin screening before age 40 – and how often you should be screened.