UHWI consultant radiologist invites women to mammography expo

As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women 40 years and older are set to benefit from free mammograms and free clinical breast examinations at a World Mammography Day Health Expo that will be held on Friday, October 18 at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

The event is scheduled to run from 9 to 3 pm at the UHWI's main administrative car park.

Head of the Mammography Unit at the UHWI, Dr Derria Cornwall, told Loop News that among the highlights of the expo are free mammograms, free dental cleaning/screening, free clinical breast exams, free blood pressure and blood sugar checks.

Additionally, there will be health information on offer and education sessions. To top things off, there will be giveaways, prizes and surprises.

Dr Cornwall explained why the 40 and over age group is being targeted at a time when cancer is affecting younger women at alarming rates.

“We are really targeting women and we should really say women 30 (years and older) but if the woman doesn’t have a family history of breast cancer then they start their mammogram at age 40. But, I’m telling you this, the women in their 30s, the 30s is where we should really be focused but we really need more research on that because we’re seeing loads of cancers in women in their 30s with no history of cancer in their family,” said Cornwall.

The consultant radiologist said that for black women who are disproportionately affected by breast cancer: “we drop it (the age at which a mammogram is recommended) to 35; at least you should do a baseline from 35”.

“Having done the baseline at 35, if everything is okay then you could hold off until 40 but we should start from 35,” Dr Cornwall added. She stressed that women who have breast cancer in their family should start at 30.

Dr Cornwall wants women from all over Jamaica to turn up on Friday. Regarding the need for ongoing screening instead of focusing on October, Dr Cornwall said: “We really want to heighten awareness for breast cancer throughout the year because cancer does not have a date, and cancer does not only happen in October. So, we really would want to heighten the awareness, but we really want women to come any time during the year”.

The event is being held by the UHWI in collaboration with the National Health Fund, the Tony Thwaites Wing, Sagicor, Mother’s, and The UWI Dental School.