What you need to know about your breast health from an industry expert
What you need to know about your breast health from an industry expert
Did you know a woman's breast cancer survival rate is 99%* when diagnosed early – but decreases to 30% when diagnosed late? Even more shocking is that 90% of women don't know their risk of breast cancer, especially as the American College of Radiology now suggests that all women should undergo a risk assessment by age 25.
At Gabbi, our mission is to make late-stage breast cancer obsolete. That's why this Breast Cancer Awareness Month (and every month), we're focused on empowering women with the knowledge and resources they need to know their own risk. So, we sat down with our in-house nurse practitioner and clinical expert, Shelly Beckley, to learn about breast health and what every woman needs to know.
- What's your experience in relation to breast health?
“My experience in breast health spans from counseling women who are at high-risk to diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship in breast cancer. I’ve been in the medical field since 2003, and a nurse practitioner since 2011. My first role as a nurse practitioner was at a breast center, where we did imaging, biopsy/diagnosis and guided women to the appropriate care.”
- What are some of the challenges you have seen related to cancer risk and detection?
"Most women simply don't know their risk for breast cancer. It's not always discussed during an annual exam, especially if women themselves are not asking. It's very easy to put all of our confidence into our providers and think, 'If my provider is concerned about my risk, they would tell me.' We need to be our own advocates, ask the questions, and make sure our concerns are heard, which isn't easy.
Breast tissue itself – and how breast tissue looks on a mammogram – also plays a huge role. Mammograms determine if a woman has dense breast tissue, which can increase your risk and make mammograms less effective. 50% of women who are 40+ are diagnosed with dense breast tissue – but the problem is that many women under 40 aren’t regularly having mammograms – unless they know their risk – and wouldn’t know that their breast tissue is dense. Women with dense breast tissue may require a multi-pronged screening approach, which could include a combination of both mammograms and breast MRIs."
- Why is it important for a woman to know her risk of breast cancer?
'I've had so many patients say to me, 'If only somebody told me my risk, I could have done something about this.' It's frustrating that so many women are told not to worry – I think we, as women, lose our voices when our concerns are dismissed.
Breast cancer doesn't need to be diagnosed at a late stage when survival rate is low and treatments are aggressive and not well tolerated. There are actions that we can proactively take to help decrease our risk of breast cancer, and steps that can help prevent a late stage diagnosis and increase survival. We need to know our risk first - that is the first step!”
- What are the top 5 things every woman should know about their breast cancer risk?
“There's so many things I want women to know about their breast health and breast cancer risk. If I had to pick just five:
- Only 5%-10% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer
- Know what your risk is and that there are steps you can take to reduce it
- Dense breasts may need special screening – you should discuss if adding breast MRIs on top of your mammograms is a good option
- Breast awareness can play a key role in early detection! Know how your breasts look and feel, and start breast exams with your provider by age 21
- A risk score can change over time; it's important to take the risk assessment every 1-2 years to stay on top of your risk.”
- Why is there a need for Gabbi alongside your care providers?
“Primary care providers (PCP) and obstetricians/gynecologists (OBGYN) have so much to focus on, typically in 15 minutes or less, that breast health is not frequently top of mind.
At Gabbi, you can take our Risk Assessment in the comfort of your own home and learn your risk in under 2 minutes. You’ll get a personalized action plan with clear next steps, as well as on-demand breast health support. Our team of breast specialists are here to help answer any questions you may have, navigate your insurance, and provide guidance along the way. With Gabbi, you can truly put your breast health back into your own hands.”
Take the Risk Assessment and learn your risk for FREE. Then, get 25% off full access to Gabbi during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and receive a personalized action plan and on-demand breast health support.
*Source: US Breast Cancer Statistics, 2021
Take your breast health into your own hands.
Start with Gabbi's risk assessment.
Rachel has been in the content marketing space since 2015, starting on the agency side before moving to the financial technology sector. There, she worked at two prominent fintechs — Borrowell and Questrade, while continuing her freelance side business. After eight years, she decided it was finally time to launch my own content and copywriting agency, which brings us to now.
Rachel loves working with clients to help them tell their stories and find their unique brand voice, while embracing emerging technologies. Writing, editing, and strategizing have always been passions of hers, and it’s empowering to bring brands to life with words.