Twiggs DPH offering free breast exams in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Twiggs County Health Department is offering free breast exams at an awareness event from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 16 at their offices located at 26 Main St. in Jeffersonville. 

Millions of women and men worldwide are impacted by breast cancer, according to the Georgia Department for Public Health. Each year, nearly 41,000 women and 450 men in the United States die from breast cancer. 

The event, in partnership with North Central Health District’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP), will offer free breast exams, breast cancer prevention information, health department service information and giveaways.

“Twiggs County Health Department provides free or low-cost mammograms and pap smears to eligible women,” said Regina King, BCCP coordinator. “We want everyone eligible to take advantage of these services. Early detection leads to early treatment which saves lives.”

If breast cancer is found early while it is still small, it’s easier to treat successfully, according to the American Cancer Society, and regular screenings are the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. 

“Breast cancer causes the cell in the breast to grow out of control,” a release from the Twiggs health department said. “Second only to skin cancer, breast cancer is one of the leading cancers among American women. Though much more common in women, both women and men can be affected by the disease.”

Someone’s risk of developing breast cancer is determined by multiple factors, but the main factor is age, the health department said. Most instances of breast cancer are found in women over 50 years old. In addition to age, other risk factors include:

— A personal or family history of breast cancer or certain non-cancerous breast diseases.

— Having menstrual periods before age 12, which leads to longer exposure to hormones.

— Starting menopause after age 55, meaning a longer exposure to estrogen hormones.

— Never going through a full-term pregnancy or having the first pregnancy after age 30 raises the risk.

— Women who are overweight or obese after menopause have an increased risk.

— Drinking, smoking and exposure to radiation or certain chemicals may increase the risk of breast cancer.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women who are 40 to 74 years old and are at average risk for breast cancer get a mammogram every 2 years.

For more information on breast cancer, visit cdc.gov/cancer/breast. To learn more about the health department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, visit NCHD52.org/BCCP.