MGH is offering screenings for $50
MARQUETTE -- When 71-year-old Ruth Holmstrom was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, she was not just concerned for herself, but also for her family.
"I had tears," said Holmstrom. "I had tears because it made my daughter and my granddaughter now part of the circle, and that's always the sad part."
But today she's cancer free, all thanks to her commitment to get an annual mammogram. That's what caught the cancer while it was still at stage zero.
"It saved me because at this point in my life, it gave me a clean bill of health, and when you're in your 70s, a clean bill of health looks pretty good," Holmstrom said.
Specialists recommend women begin annual screenings at age 40.
While the cost of these life saving mammograms can get kind of steep, often several hundred dollars, Marquette General is doing something this month in honor of breast cancer awareness, to help out. The hospital is reducing the rate for mammograms. They'll be just $50, including the radiologist's analysis.
"Women that are having to pay out of pocket, they don't have insurance, that they would be able to get that at a much reduced rate, and that is an incentive to stay healthy because women across the country want to stay healthy," said MGH breast care coordinator Shirley Jackson. "The simple reason is we are caregivers for the rest of our family."
Reduced-rate mammograms will be offered throughout October at Marquette General Hospital, Marquette Medical Clinic in Kingsford, and Doctors Park Family Physicians in Escanaba.
To schedule a mammogram, contact one of these locations:
MGH Central Scheduling: (906) 225-3551 or 1-800-562-9753 ext. 3551
Marquette Medical Clinic, Kingsford: (906) 774-4000
Doctor's Park Family Physicians, Escanaba: (906) 786-1839
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