In addition, there will also be a presentation by breast cancer survivors. In recognition of national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Texans from all walks of life will gather at courthouses across the state for the 2000 Wreath Project. This year an estimated 2,600 Texas women will die from breast cancer, and 11,500 will be diagnosed with the disease. The good news is that early detection could save many women, according to Nelson-Becker. By participating in the 2000 Wreath Project, the UTMB Regional Maternal and Child Health Clinic, the Texas Department of Health, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program and the American Cancer Society hope to increase awareness of how early detection can save lives.
All women are at risk for developing breast cancer.
More than 75 percent of all breast cancers are found in women 50 or older. Therefore, all women 50 or older are urged to get a mammogram and breast examination by a doctor every year. However, all women are encouraged to perform monthly self-examinations. Other guidelines, such as family history, may encourage women to get a mammogram and clinical breast examination every year beginning at age 40. The UTMB Regional Maternal and Child Health Clinic offers free screening mammograms and physical examinations to women age 50 and older who meet specific income criteria through the Cancer Stop program.