Celebrating 3D mammography at Beebe
Where would you like to begin? I asked, and Cindy Beaver shared her story – no, her journey.
"I think we should start when I came in for my routine mammogram a year ago in 2015. This was my first mammogram at Beebe, and they asked if I wanted to have a 3D mammogram. They gave me an option and I asked if my insurance company would cover it. I learned my insurance company didn't, and there would be an extra charge. I have always been very proactive about everything in my life, and I believe in preventative care. I said yes, I'll have the 3D, and I will pay the extra charge. When I came back this year, I decided to go the same route and have the 3D mammogram again. I am very grateful that I did.
"The next day I received a phone call from a person at Beebe's Imaging Center asking if I could come back for another 3D mammogram. They explained they were not sure about some of the images and wanted to repeat the test. I remember feeling so very anxious. I'm certain anyone would feel exactly the same way.
"My second appointment took a little longer and the imaging technician took more pictures. After the test they called me back to talk with the radiologist who was reading the results. He showed me where they had found something very, very small. I asked him what does this mean, and he told me that I needed to see a surgeon who would probably want to do a biopsy. Getting news like this, well, it kind of blasts you away. I very quickly met with a surgeon.
"The scariest thing was coming back a week later to find out the results of the biopsy; but my surgeon was just awesome. The first thing he said to me was 'Cindy, you are going to be OK. We are going to take care of this and you are going to be fine. You are going to have surgery, and then radiation, and you will be good to go.' And that's exactly what happened.
"As I was getting ready for the radiation treatments after my surgery, I was dreading the thought of going every day. The day I walked into Tunnell Cancer Center for my first radiation treatment was the first and only day that I was sad. I met this wonderful group of women who helped me every day. I was always happy to see them, and they always had a smile for me. They are the ones who made this an easy process and I want to celebrate them."
Cindy Beaver made a generous donation to the Beebe Medical Foundation to Celebrate the Excellent Care she received from all of the wonderful therapists who were a part of her care and treatment at the Tunnell Cancer Center: Sharron Wilson, Rosa Smith, Alygia Lopez, Katie Cox, Jacki McCabe, Emily Perry, Dinelle Lloyd and Kristen Rahn, radiation oncology manager.
Beaver continued sharing, "On the day of my last radiation treatment I made little vases of flowers and put an angel on each card because they were my angels. They were so caring and efficient. They made the time go by so fast while I was having my treatments. They would put music on for me to listen to, any kind of music at all – I liked it upbeat. They just made my day - every day. On the final day of radiation you get to ring the gong. It was so funny. Everyone gathered around me and said, 'You get to ring the gong. Go ahead. Hit it as many times as you want, as hard as you want!'
"My radiation oncologist, Dr. Jennifer Hung, told me that if I had not had the 3D mammogram we would not have caught this so early, while it was very, very small. The 3D is just amazing and what really surprises me is that all hospitals don't have it. Beebe is really with the times here. I teach a Zumba class at the Y for a group of about 40 women. Throughout my treatment I never felt sick, and I didn't miss a day of Zumba. After I rang the gong and completed my treatments, I shared this story with all of them. One lady came to me later and said thank you. She believed my story would inspire others to take advantage of 3D mammography and possibly catch something early, before it becomes a bigger problem."
Beebe Healthcare offers both traditional and 3D mammography. Breast tomosynthesis or 3D digital mammography is the latest advance in digital mammography. The advantages over traditional mammography include better cancer detection at an earlier stage and fewer return visits for additional images. This helps to produce less anxiety and greater convenience for women undergoing mammography. Beebe Healthcare introduced the first 3D mammography service for breast cancer screening to Sussex County in 2014; since that time more than 25,000 women have had a 3D mammogram. Beebe now has 3D technology in three locations – Millville, Georgetown and Rehoboth Beach.
Beebe's 3D mammography equipment was funded through the generous support of donors in the local community. All gifts to Beebe Healthcare, large or small, are tax deductible and are channeled through Beebe Medical Foundation.
Consider making a gift today and sharing an amazing story with the community. To make a proud personal donation or to learn more about Celebrate Excellent Care, go to www.beebemedicalfoundation.org, contact the Beebe Medical Foundation at 302-644-2900 or email foundation@beebehealthcare.org.
