About Time to Be Seen
Sharing a Clue!
In 2018, I was shocked my regular ‘standard of care' mammogram didn't ‘catch’ the second most common breast cancer for almost 8 years.
In addition, it turns out mammograms routinely miss the MOST common breast cancer early in dense breasts.
I would have paid 'out-of-pocket' -- for the almost eight years my cancer was growing and the 25 years total I was getting a screening mammogram -- to find the top two breast cancers in my dense breasts,
IF I had been given a clue!
Since then I have been working to make sure that others have the information and tools that I did not. AB-MRI's have become more accessible and affordable, but they frequently aren't offered. You are your own best advocate. Ask your provider about them, and if your provider does not offer AB-MRI, insist on a referral to a provider that does.
The list of clinics that do offer AB-MRI is the main star of this web site! Advocate for yourself and others for the best of care, not just a "good enough" standard of care "checklist." And pass the info along to anyone in your life who has breasts.
Scroll down for a BUNCH of clues for YOU.
OUT OF A HUNDRED WOMEN Who Have Regular Mammograms:
Twelve - thirteen will be diagnosed with breast cancer (1-2 out of 8)
Four to six of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer early. (YAY!).
Six to seven of them will be diagnosed with breast cancer at a later stage (five with dense breasts plus one/two with lobular cancer).
50/50 chance (OR LESS) of early detection with mammograms?... DISAPPOINTING!
RESOURCES:
RESEARCH -- for Dense Breast and Lobular Breast Cancer Screening
PHONE and LINKS -- to schedule your effective MRI screening based on state (not all states have clinics that offer AB-MRI, but hopefully you are in or close to one that does)
TOOLS -- to educate yourself, your doctor, and your community (Time To Be ‘Seen’ does not accept donations). But YOU can take part in an "Empower Action" through Time To Be Seen, or print out the PDF s supplied OR contract for a billboard or post card campaign Got Breasts? Get an MRI! Spread the clues!
OPTIONS -- Turns out, when you go to your doctor, there is a good chance s/he is telling you all your insurance options. Not all your medical options. INSIST on MEDICAL OPTIONS FROM MDs!
INFORMATION -- Breast MRI’s have been clinically proven the most effective option for all early breast cancer screening for the top two breast cancers -- for two decades. This is information a patient NEEDS to make an informed decision. Whether to push for coverage or to simply pay out-of-pocket. There are full breast MRI’s (national self-pay average $1200) or abbreviated, 'Mini', or 'Fast' MRI’s (AB-MRI national self-pay average $300).
CHOICE -- YOU can choose to set aside the money in your budget for every year ($100 per month full, $30 per month abbreviated), every other year ($50/month full, $15/month abbreviated), and so on. Minimum time span between Abbreviated MRIs is every three years ($10 per month).
It is TIME TO BE 'SEEN'
Best,
Elsie