Women deserve better breast cancer screening options

Help us tell the truth about mammograms

Over the past week, many women have expressed their surprise and confusion over the recent recommendations on breast cancer screening from a leading independent group of medical experts - women in their forties should not rely on mammography screening to save their lives.

The new guidelines contradict everything that women have been widely told—what our grandmothers, mothers, and daughters have been told for the past 16 years, about how to protect ourselves against the ravages of breast cancer—and the National Women’s Health Network agrees with them.

These “new” recommendations come as no surprise to the Network and our Members who have had the benefit of unbiased scientific information and analysis of this issue for many years. We have known, and helped many women to understand, that the benefits of mammography screening before menopause are few, and rather than offer the false hope that once-a-year mammography has life-saving benefits, the focus needs to shift to finding better diagnostic tests.

It’s outrageous that with the amount of money spent on breast cancer research, so little has focused on new forms of screening. The Network has been advocating for more effective screening techniques for years, and as a supporter, you have strengthened our voice. When there are important things to be said, on the behalf of the health of all women, the Network is here to get the word out.

Right now, while attention is focused on this issue, we need the strength of our supporters behind us. You can help us continue to push for breast cancer screening that truly meets the needs of women. 

Please donate to the National Women’s Health Network today.

P.S. -- Listen to Cindy talk about all the new guidelines on NPR's Tell Me More this Monday. Check your local station for times.