On July 23 in Danville, a happy group of donors, volunteers, caregivers and leaders gathered on the ground floor of OSF Healthcare Sacred Heart Medical Center. They came to witness the official blessing and dedication of the new 3D mammography machine, which has been in use since June 1 and has served nearly 800 women already.
“We asked what you felt was really needed in this community, and 3D mammography topped your list,” said Wendy Mitchell, Vice President Operations OSF Healthcare Foundation.
Mitchell thanked the donors who stepped up to fill that need. “This evening we celebrate the shining example of the true generosity of the Danville community. You all are so passionate and so giving,” Mitchell said.
Dr. Jared Rogers, President of OSF Sacred Heart, echoed Mitchell’s thanks and underscored the benefits of 3D mammography. “It’s just better,” he said plainly. “You want very few false positive and fewer false negatives,” he said. “3D mammography gives hundreds more images than 2D. It saves lives and it saves anxiety.”
That anxiety is something that OSF Sacred Heart’s Director of Imaging Services, Stephanie Yates, knows too well. Yates is also a breast cancer survivor.
“Every woman dreads receiving a call after her mammogram requesting that she return for additional views,” she said. Yates recalled numerous times in her sixteen years of experience since her diagnosis waiting nervously for call backs and follow-up testing.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Yates said. “I appreciate the radiology folks keeping a close watch on a suspicious area, but you can’t help but worry until you get the ‘all clear’ again.”
Stephanie is personally grateful to the donors who helped bring the new 3D mammography machine to her department at OSF Sacred Heart. “I had my first 3D mammogram this year,” she said. “And guess what? No call-backs for additional views!” The 3D technology and more precise imaging has been shown to increase the detection rate for cancer and reduce the callback rate.
“It’s wonderful,” says State Representative Mike Marron, who joined the celebration. “It’s a great resource for women’s health in our community.”