Even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends today, women should be aware of preventative services all year round.

Greene County Nurse Practitioner Valerie Martin says women over the age of 40 should get a mammogram screening done annually. She points out that it’s a great way to detect any lumps in the breast early and if they have to do diagnostic testing or a possible biopsy, that it can done at the medical center.

She explains how women can do self breast exams during their yearly visit with her in the Women’s Health Clinic at the hospital.

“I go through that process thoroughly with them, teach them how to do it, what types of lumps to be looking for and which areas are most common for breast cancer. So I like to go over that with them so that they’re familiar with what their normal is that way they would notice if there was something new there.”

She recommends women doing monthly self-breast exams as well. A benefit of getting a mammogram is that it can detect a lump nine months before the patient or physician can feel it.     

Call Martin at the Women’s Health Clinic for more information.