This Mother’s Day give the life-saving gift of a mammogram.
Reach out to your mother 0r grandmother and remind this important woman in your life that it is time for that mammogram she has been putting off for so long. Offer to make the appointment for her and go with her.
You will hear the usual excuses for not getting a mammogram:
- Too busy…no woman is so busy that she can’t take a half hour to have a life-saving screening
- Can’t afford it…Call local Departments of Health for sites that offer free mammograms
- Afraid of the outcome…most of us are afraid, but we are more afraid of having breast cancer
- It hurts…a bit, but not as much as childbirth
Offer to:
- Make the appointment for her at a site and a time that is convenient
- Insure that she will be screened by a female, if that is an issue for her
- Go with her
- Translate for her if she has a language barrier
If all else fails, remind her of how important she is to her children, whatever age the children are. No one wants to see her mother or grandmother suffer through extensive breast cancer treatment. Remind her that a mammogram can identify a breast cancer in its earliest stage, before it can be felt, before it requires prolonged treatment.
I know it is not easy to nag a loved one about getting a mammogram, but you will be doing your part to see that your special lady is around to enjoy more Mother’s Days .
P.S. If you are due for a mammogram, make getting one your Mother’s Day gift to yourself. You and mom or grandma can make it a family affair!
