Amercian News Service Knowing that many women put off breast exams out of fear or lack of information, health-care services and the media in Macon, Ga. have joined forces to encourage women who share a risk of breast cancer to help each other prevent it. At the current rate, one in nine American women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society . But if detected early, through self examination and mammography, the chances of survival can be dramatically increased.
Women are a source of strength for each other.
WMAZ also runs a story related to breast cancer on the 13th of every month, with themes varying from treatment options to support groups to survivor stories. Tina Hicks, a local anchorwoman, inaugurated the series by going for a mammogram herself. Hicks had been worried for some time about a lump in her breast but the test revealed it was only a cyst. WMAZ producer Lisa Phillips says that choosing a role model like Hicks, whom area women respect and relate to, helps local women confront the issue of breast cancer in their own lives. A lot of women have called in to let her know how thankful they are for her stories.