It's National Mammography Day

DETROIT (WWJ) - Most people know October is breast cancer awareness month, but you may not know that Friday is National Mammography Day.

Established in 1993, it's a day to remind women to get that annual mammogram, and it's a day Joan Killoren won't ever forget.
Doctors at St. John Cancer Center in Detroit discovered Killoren had the very earliest stages of breast cancer during her annual mammogram.

But because her cancer was detected at such an early stage, Friday, Killoren got the best news she could have hoped for.

"My annual mammogram ... found the cells, and I had surgery last week, and they got the cancer cells out," Killoren said. "I'm on my way to radiation now — not more surgery, and I've got a life ahead of me."

Killoren is living proof that screening and early detection saves lives.

If you can't afford a mammogram, there are programs to help.

Find Michigan resources HERE.

You can find information from the U.S. Centers from Disease Control at this link.