Advocate Condell offers walk-in mammograms in October
Advocate Condell Medical Center will offer walk-in screening mammograms during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Appointments will be available from 7 am to 7 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 7 am to 3 pm on Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays, as schedules permit. Patients should check in at registration, and will be seen as soon as possible. For your convenience, you also may schedule your appointment by calling 847.990.6000. Screening mammograms also may be scheduled at Advocate Condell's Gurnee Imaging Center, 1435 Hunt Club Road, by calling 847.599.7635.
All women who have a mammogram during October will be automatically entered into a raffle drawing for a prize basket. Tickets also can be purchased for the raffle at the Women's Center, including during an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 12, from noon to 3 pm. Community members will tour the center, get health information and enjoy refreshments.
Proceeds from the raffle will go to the American Cancer Society. Advocate Health Care is partnering with ACS to sponsor the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on Oct. 16.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 40,000 women will die of breast cancer this year. Statistics also show that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 70% of those diagnosed will have no family history of breast cancer.
"Although the risk of breast cancer is higher with a family history, most breast cancers found have no prior family history of the disease," said Daniel Kim, MD, chairman of the department of radiology at Advocate Condell Medical Center. "The earlier that cancers are detected, the better are the chances for improved treatment results."
Early detection of breast cancer includes:
• Yearly mammograms beginning at age 40, earlier if you have a family history of the disease. As you begin to have mammograms, it is important to have your previous mammography images available for comparison to your current exam.
• Consult your physician about planning your personal schedule for mammograms and yearly physical examinations.
• Perform breast self-exams monthly. For instructions, ask your doctor or visit www.cancer.org.
• See your physician right away if you notice any unusual changes, abnormalities or lumps in your breast, even if you've had a normal mammogram.
Despite recent studies that have questioned mammography's lifesaving role, the American Cancer Society and the American College of Radiology support screening mammography in finding breast cancers at an earlier age," stated Dr. Kim. "Mammography is the best imaging tool available today to detect breast cancer early and ultimately, early detection of the disease will allow for more treatment options."
The expertise of the radiologists and technicians on staff at Condell Medical Center is supported by the most advanced technology and comprehensive care for breast imaging and treatment.
If you need additional diagnostic testing, our breast health navigator will help you make your journey easier. This nurse is specially trained to answer your questions and serve as a guide for your complete diagnosis and treatment.
About Advocate Condell Medical Center
Advocate Condell Medical Center is the leading provider of comprehensive medical and surgical services in Lake County, with state-of-the-art heart, neurosurgical, maternity and emergency services. Condell's emergency department is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in Lake County, Illinois, treating the area's most seriously injured patients. Advocate Condell also is the only Lake County hospital to staff ICU intensivists 24 hours a day, and features the only dedicated pediatric emergency department. Advocate Condell is also the only Lake County hospital to feature all private adult patient rooms.