WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- At Saturday's Race for the Cure, WPTV spoke with a local radiologist at Good Samaritan Hospital about the importance of annual breast cancer screenings for women aged 40 and older.
Dr. Courtney Hoey says screenings should begin as early as age 30 if one of your family members was diagnosed at a younger age.
She also tells patients to fight for their health and warns them of becoming complacent.
She recommends that if you have doubts or concerns, consider getting a second opinion, since you know your body best.
And if you haven't gotten a mammogram, ultra sound and an exam by your doctor (all 3 of those things), then you haven't yet been fully evaluated.
Dr. Hoey says mammography is the one proven thing that prevents loss of life from breast cancer, helping to catch lumps before you can even feel them.