Chances are most of us unfortunately know someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Second only to skin cancer, it is the most common form of cancer found in American women. In 2022, the American Cancer Society estimates we will lose 43,250 women to breast cancer. These are mothers, grandmothers, daughters, nieces, aunts, and friends who will leave us far too soon. Further, there is a 1 in 8 chance that the average American woman will develop breast cancer at some point in their life. These are scary stats, but with regular screening and early detection, we can save lives.

The pandemic posed many of the obvious challenges like widespread fear of an unknown virus and nationwide shutdowns. But there were tons of ripple effects and unintended consequences of regular life being put on hold. One of these many unintended consequences was regular doctor visits falling by the wayside. COVID was obviously the main focus of the American medical community for months, and shutdowns made it difficult to get appointments for regular checkups and screenings. As a result, many screenings were forgone, specifically mammograms. A recent study shows that nearly a third of women in America didn’t schedule a breast cancer screening during the pandemic. With mammograms being the key to early detection, the drop in screenings put us a significant risk of not catching cancer as quickly as we otherwise could have.

Particularly in rural Missouri where access is limited, bringing services to communities is the only option some women have.  I have been a vigorous proponent of mobile mammography services for that very reason. “Mammovans” as they’ve been cleverly nicknamed are vehicles that travel to rural and underserved areas to provide mammograms to women who may otherwise not receive one. In many parts of Mid-Missouri, mammovans can literally be a matter of life or death. My bill the “Mobile Mammography Promotion Act” would cut the cost of operating mammovans and therefore expand their use.  After the pandemic limited screenings, utilizing mobile medicine is more important than ever.

This month – Breast Cancer Awareness Month – we honor the memories of the Americans we’ve tragically lost to this disease. We also pray for a cure and successful treatment for anyone who is courageously battling it now. The American Cancer Society recommends women ages 45-54 get a yearly mammogram. Until we find the cure, early detection is the best tool in the toolbox to save lives, and the 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in America right now are a testament to that.