Mercy Mammography Marathon deemed successful

Mercy Health Center's 24-hour Mammography Marathon attracted some 49 people.

"We normally do nine or 10 a day, so we ended up doing 29 extra. We stopped at midnight and started up again at 4:30 in the morning," Director of Imaging Services Becky Williams said.

This is the first time the hospital has conducted a mammography marathon and may do it again next year, she said.

"We haven't really talked about it much, but it was kind of fun. We had some food (cake and punch) and items for sale."

Merchandise included black hooded sweatshirts with the phrase Fight Like a Girl embellished on them with rhinestones. A drawing for T-shirts, sweatshirts, sneakers and other prizes will be held at the end of the month.

The marathon was held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Williams said the hospital received some positive comments about it from participants who thought it was a good idea, they enjoyed it and hoped the hospital would do it again.

"Probably a lesson learned from it is that we're going to possibly extend our hours maybe once a month," Williams said. If those hours are busy, extended hours could be offered more often.

"The need is definitely there," she said, noting some participants commented that the marathon was a good idea.Tribune Staff Report

Mercy Health Center's 24-hour Mammography Marathon attracted some 49 people.

"We normally do nine or 10 a day, so we ended up doing 29 extra. We stopped at midnight and started up again at 4:30 in the morning," Director of Imaging Services Becky Williams said.

This is the first time the hospital has conducted a mammography marathon and may do it again next year, she said.

"We haven't really talked about it much, but it was kind of fun. We had some food (cake and punch) and items for sale."

Merchandise included black hooded sweatshirts with the phrase Fight Like a Girl embellished on them with rhinestones. A drawing for T-shirts, sweatshirts, sneakers and other prizes will be held at the end of the month.

The marathon was held in conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Williams said the hospital received some positive comments about it from participants who thought it was a good idea, they enjoyed it and hoped the hospital would do it again.

"Probably a lesson learned from it is that we're going to possibly extend our hours maybe once a month," Williams said. If those hours are busy, extended hours could be offered more often.

"The need is definitely there," she said, noting some participants commented that the marathon was a good idea.

The hospital began offering digital mammograms more than two and a half years ago, Williams said.

"The quality is so much better with digital. That's the key," she said.

More than 40,000 women will die of breast cancer this year in the United States, according to a news release.

According to data provided by Kaiser State Health Facts, in 2006, Kansas ranked fifth highest in the U.S. among breast cancer occurrences per 100,000 women -- well above the national average. Yet in 2008, Kansas women over 50 years of age report having fewer mammograms than the national norm.

For more information about digital mammography, or to schedule an appointment, call (620) 223-7015.