Do What I Do. Do What I Say.

It's the 9th of the month. Have you called your Buddy? If you haven't, do it now! Call and remind her to do a Breast Self Exam; schedule an exam with a doctor or nurse practitioner; and women over 40---make that appointment for your mammogram.
That's what I just did. My Buddy, my mother Ethel, and I had appointments at the Sullivan Center for Breast Health at Sibley Memorial Hospital in NW Washington. I was excused from the 9 A-M newscast so we could keep our appointments. I usually schedule the mammograms around my birthday in October. But I kept putting it off because I was just too busy. Sound familiar? Yes, we are all too busy and routine exams like mammograms are often left for another day. Well for me, that other day turned into a month and before I knew it, two months had passed. I had to say to myself - enough with the excuses. How could I tell you to do everything in your power to take charge of your own breast health, if I didn't follow my own advice? So, in November, I made the call and mother and I were set for December 6th.
The nurse performing my exam was Shirley Rudder, Since my last visit in 2006, a lot had changed at the center. Sibley was now all digital and what a difference that has made. While Digital Mammography continues to use the same breast compression and low dose X-Ray beams as in standard mammography, this equipment is much faster. It immediately sends information to the computer eliminating the wait for films to be developed. And I could see them right away too. When I schedule my mammogram, I always ask for additional time to see my doctor. I have known Dr. Rebecca Zuurbier for 14-years. Named one of "America's Top Radiologists for 2007", we first met when I began Buddy Check 9. And when I had a scare in 2000, Dr. Zuurbier performed a needle core biopsy. Because Dr. Z is so familiar with my breast history, I followed her when she made the move from Georgetown to Sibley to become its Chief of Breast Imaging. Following the mammogram, I think I waited less than 5-minutes to see her. But like every other woman in that position, those 5-minutes felt more like an hour. When Dr. Zuurbier finally came in, she had both thumbs UP!!!!! Everything looked great. But she told me to keep doing what I was doing. While mammograms remain the medical gold standard, they are not infallible. There is still a 15% chance a lump may be missed. Do your part to prevent cancer and practice early detection. Don't skip the BSE, mammogram or the clinical exam, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. In the meantime, Sibley is doing what it can to meet the needs of patients in the cancer center. Thanks to the remarkable efforts of volunteer and Gala Chair Annie Totah and the hospital's Board of Directors, Sibley raised over a million dollars for cancer care at its 7th annual Celebration of Hope & Progress Gala. I was the night's emcee.

For their part in raising awareness and fighting breast cancer, Sibley honored Komen For the Cure Founder Nancy Brinker, Empress Farah Pahlavi and renowned oncologist Dr. Fred Smith.