MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – Almost 200,000 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year; however, annual screenings offer significant hope in the fight against this life-threatening disease. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer can take a few years to develop, and the survival rate is 98% when detected at an early stage.

To ensure access to these life-saving screenings for women of Okaloosa and Walton counties, Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast now offers 200 free screening mammograms a year, benefiting underserved women of our communities.

“Our mission at Sacred Heart is to provide high quality, compassionate healthcare to all, without regard to the ability to pay,” explained Dr. Charles Stroble, radiologist at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. “Providing these screening mammograms to underserved women will help save countless lives by identifying cancer in an early, preventable stage.”

The Suzy Fund was established in October in partnership with Zampieri’s Harbor Grille, Qantum Communications, American Laser Centers and Sacred Heart Foundation as a result of the first annual “Breast Party in Town.”

Women age 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year. A screening mammogram is an x-ray exam of the breast in a woman who has no symptoms. The goal of a screening mammogram is to find cancer when it is still too small to be felt by a woman or her doctor, greatly improving a woman’s chance for successful treatment. Women in their 20s and 30s who are not high risk should have a clinical breast exam as part of their regular health exam, preferably at least every three years

Women at high risk include those who have a known breast cancer gene mutation, have a first-degree relative (mother, father, brother, sister or child) with the designated gene mutation, had radiation therapy to the chest when between the ages of 10 and 30 years old, or have a family history of breast cancer. High-risk women should begin screening mammograms at age 35 or younger, depending on their specific situation.

To qualify for the free screening at Sacred Heart, women must be between the ages of 40 to 65 and reside in either Okaloosa or Walton County. Women on Medicaid or Medicare already qualify for an annual screening mammogram, so the program will target the “working poor” – women who do not qualify for Medicare or Medicaid but who cannot afford a screening exam.

The Olson Women’s Diagnostic Center at Sacred Heart conveniently centralizes all screening and diagnostic appointments for mammograms, stereotactic breast biopsies, ultrasounds and bone density scans. A dedicated patient care navigator provides patient advocacy, coordination of services, education and support to all women and their families.

Sacred Heart features all-digital breast imaging systems, which provide numerous advantages, including excellent visibility of the breast, timely generation of images, the ability to magnify and manipulate images to prevent retakes, and less discomfort during the exam.

For more information about the Suzy Fund or the Olson Women’s Diagnostic Center at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, please call (850) 278-3980 or visit www.sacredheartemerald.org. For more information and statistics about breast cancer, please visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.
###