Protecting the Women We Cherish

Despite great strides in treatment, breast cancer remains the most common form of cancer among women. This deadly disease will likely take the lives of nearly 41,000 people in 2015.

Ohio’s female breast cancer mortality rate ranks fourth in the nation, on average, over the past five years. Breast cancer is the most common reportable cancer among women in Ohio, regardless of race, accounting for 28 percent of all cancers diagnosed in women.

No doctor’s prescription is needed for a screening mammogram. Yet many women in our region, especially in rural areas and among minority populations, do not get the screening mammograms that could save their lives. Difficulty accessing services and a lack of available funding create serious barriers to screening and care.

Data from the Susan B. Komen for the Cure Greater Cincinnati affiliate show that in southwest Ohio:

  • Up to 40 percent of women are not receiving mammograms (approximately 39,000 women, 40 or older).
  • African-American and Latino women in the service area are less likely than others to participate in screening. They are more likely to be diagnosed in later stages of breast cancer than other population groups.

Atrium Medical Center Foundation wants to change these sobering statistics. With the help of generous donors, we will bring health care to every woman, everywhere in southwest Ohio.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute. 

Learn more about the Every Woman, Everywhere campaign: