BOCA RATON, Fla. — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many people share their stories to help promote women getting their yearly mammograms.
A woman in west Boca Raton said she wants to make sure a certain group of women is getting their checkups.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Suzan Pooran, who has worked with the diagnostic center at West Boca Medical Center for 21 years, was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago.
Last year she had her annual mammogram, and something concerning was found.
"We did the biopsy, and it came back positive for cancer," Pooran said.
The mother of three children said she lost her husband to cancer six years ago and chose to get a double mastectomy following the diagnosis.
"It was a lot of emotion," Pooran said.
She said she was lucky the pandemic didn't postpone her mammogram too long, and doctors caught her cancer early.
"So far, everything is going good for me," she said.
But she's been making sure others, especially those in the health care field, are staying up to date on their check-ins.
"I try to tell a couple of my coworkers because I hear them say, 'I forget.' And I say, 'Please, please take the advice I am giving you and go do your mamo, go take care of yourself,'" Pooran said.
Radiologist Jon Rosenweig said the pandemic prevented a lot of women from getting checked.
He said any woman over the age of 40 should get their yearly checkup, and anyone younger can work with their doctor.
"Cancer doesn't stop for the pandemic," Rosenweig said. "If you have a strong family risk of breast cancer, or other things that increase your risk, you should start early."
Pooran said it's been a year since her surgery and all her scans look good. She's hoping her story and awareness can help other women defeat breast cancer.
