Leanne’s Story
“As the first in Interior Health to offer a contrast-enhanced mammography machine, we’re bringing cutting-edge technology to our community.”
– Midori Pawlowicz, Mammography Technologist, VJH
I was brushing my hair one day when my husband noticed a small puckering of skin under my arm.
I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it didn’t look right.
So I saw my family doctor, who sent me for a mammogram at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
I was 39 years old.
I couldn’t believe it.
I had no family history, and no obvious signs or symptoms that pointed to cancer. Thankfully, getting a mammogram at VJH was quick and easy, allowing me to start treatment right away.
The months that followed were challenging. I underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and a partial mastectomy. After that, my oncology team monitored me regularly. Unfortunately, two years later, a follow-up mammogram revealed the cancer had returned.
This time I had a double mastectomy, followed by more chemotherapy.
Just when I thought the battle was behind me, routine imaging caught a third cancer diagnosis during a follow up check. Once again, swift action saved my life.
“No one wants to hear the words ‘you have breast cancer.’ But being able to detect it earlier, with improved imaging detail, can lead to better survivor rates, often with less aggressive treatment.”
– Dr. Ed Hardy, Head of Oncology, VJH
Each time, early detection of cancer made all the difference in my treatment.
We’ve had a mammography machine at VJH since 2014, which means we can get regular screenings and monitor breast cancers, right here in our community.
But after more than 100,000 scans in the past 10 years, that mammography machine urgently needs to be replaced. Today’s mammography technology is far more advanced than it was a decade ago.
With clearer images and enhanced diagnostic capabilities, this new state-of-the-art unit can provide faster, more reliable results with fewer false positives. This is so important because waiting for results feels unbearable when your health is at stake.
Also, this new machine has enhanced 3D imaging abilities, which can detect cancer much earlier, giving doctors the critical information they need to make clinical assessments, decisions and treatment plans.
And it’s even designed to provide a more comfortable patient experience! (As someone who has had many mammograms, I can tell you just how important this is!)
You never think you’ll be the one who needs it — until you are.
With 1 in 8 women in Canada expected to develop breast cancer in their lifetime, access to quality breast cancer screening close to home matters — a lot!
This could be you, your daughter, your granddaughter, your wife, your mother, your sister, or your friend — and when it comes to breast cancer, early detection can make a big difference in treatment, recovery, and survival.
Today, I’m 47 years old, and I’m happy to say I’m cancer free. But I still go for regular mammograms at VJH.
Together we can bring a new machine to VJH and make sure that people in our community get the best possible care, right here at our local hospital.