Missionary, educator urges women to get mammograms

Returning home to the Carolina Foothills from her missionary work in Ghana, West Africa in 2012, Denae Davies found out she had breast cancer during her routine mammogram at St. Luke’s Hospital. Thanks to early detection and the hospital’s care, she is alive today.

Davies had planned to go back to Ghana to continue teaching in January of that year when she received a call from St. Luke’s recommending that she have a second mammogram. Because something unfamiliar had been spotted compared with images from previous mammograms, the medical team wanted her to have a follow-up mammogram as a precautionary measure.

“I will never forget the love and support I felt from what seemed to be the whole radiology department,” the Rutherfordton resident said. “One nurse even rubbed my feet while I felt Sonja and Cindy’s prayers during the procedure. From that time forth I have considered St. Luke’s radiology department as family.”

The results of Davies’ second mammogram led to an ultrasound and then a biopsy that same day. Two days later, she learned she had a malignant tumor and was diagnosed with Stage 2B breast cancer. After a treatment course that included a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation, Davies is now cancer-free.

“The tumor was three centimeters, yet I never felt any pain or discomfort,” said Davies, who has no history in her family of breast cancer. “Had I not been diligent to have a mammogram yearly, I would never had known it was there and may not be alive today to tell about it. Because I’d gone to St. Luke’s for my previous mammograms, they were able to look at ones I had through the years and spot what was different.

“Facing cancer is so traumatic for everyone involved but I’m so grateful for St. Luke’s and the staff there. Everyone has been so reassuring and supportive. They have become like a family to me,” Davies said.

Early detection is key to beating breast cancer

Women have about a 12 percent chance of developing breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. The American Cancer Society estimates in 2017 that about 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States. With the exception of skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women and is the second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in women.

Early detection through mammograms as well as clinical breast exams and self-exams remains key to preventing breast cancer deaths. 

The American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 40 and older have screening mammograms annually. Women ages 20 to 39 should have clinical breast exams by a healthcare professional every three years and should perform monthly breast self-exams. And all women should report any breast changes to a health care provider right away.

“With the prayers and support of my loving church family and the healing power of God, I was able to return to Ghana in March of 2014 teaching full time in the Christian School in Dodowa,” Davies said. “I can’t emphasize enough the importance of annual mammograms — they are lifesaving!”

St. Luke’s offers advanced digital mammography and Infusion Center

St. Luke’s Hospital offers state-of-the-art digital mammography, the best and most advanced screening technology in the fight against breast cancer. Through digital mammography, high-quality, computer-generated images are created that radiologists then can manipulate and magnify, making abnormalities easier to detect. St. Luke’s also has a CAD (Computer-Aided Detection) system that helps detect even the smallest breast cancers at early stages.

St. Luke’s compassionate mammography team receives continuing education to help make patients feel as comfortable as possible and to answer any questions they have during the process, said Teresa Davis, director of radiology at St. Luke’s Hospital. For example, technologists receive specialized training with positioning to ensure that women’s breasts are placed correctly on the machine’s pad with the right compression to smooth out the breast tissue and thus lessen the chance of needing to have another scan.

“We also have the new SensorySuite mammography room with TVs with calming images and the sound of waves in the background, a diffuser with non-allergenic scents and light lavender walls to help make the experience as comfortable as possible for the patient,” Davis said.

Should cancer be detected and treatment be required, world-class chemotherapy is now available on-site at the St. Luke’s Hospital Infusion Center, one of 26 regional cancer treatment centers in partnership with the renowned Levine Cancer Institute (LCI) which part of the Carolinas HealthCare System of Charlotte.

Under the direction of oncologist Matthew Rees, MD, the recently opened center offers a close-to-home, patient-centered alternative for chemotherapy and intravenous therapy (IV) treatments in a convenient, caring atmosphere focused on the latest breakthrough in chemotherapy and infusion treatments. Other services include IV antibiotics, blood transfusions, IV hydration, IV infusions for rheumatoid arthritis, injections, physician consults and treatment for oncology and hematology diagnoses. •

by Kathleen O’Nan

Schedule your annual mammogram today by calling St. Luke’s Hospital’s Radiology Department at 828-894-0854.