RAPID CITY, SD (KOTA) – The American Cancer Society has estimated more than 310,000 women and almost 3,000 people would be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2024. Monument Health hosted the inaugural “March for Mammos” on Saturday to raise awareness of the disease and the importance of early detection.

The walk brought together men, women and children from the Black Hills to raise money for Monument Health’s community education fund to help with various outreach events throughout the year to raise breast cancer awareness, screening, treatment and many more for patients and their families. .

Although this is the first year for the march, Monument Health Orthopedic and Specialty Hospital hosted the “Pump Up for Pink” events, but after the death of a key organizer, the event was unable to take place this year.

Dr Ashlea Semmens, breast surgical oncologist, said around 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, so raising awareness for mammography screening is vital.

“What we’re able to do when women have mammograms is potentially detect breast cancer when it’s smaller and easier to treat. You can also detect them at earlier stages. So there is no invasive and invasive breast cancer, so with mammograms there is also the possibility of detecting a non-invasive breast cancer when it does not yet have the ability to spread outside the breast,” said Semmens.

She added that mammograms can detect lesions that are not yet cancerous but are atypical, so women can receive additional screening depending on what is found.

Semmens explained that while the national recommendation is for women without an increased risk of breast cancer to get annual mammograms starting at age 40, the steps for men are not as clear.

“Men also develop breast cancer. There are no guidelines suggesting that men get routine mammograms outside of very specific genetic mutations or risks. So, talking to their doctor about what those risks might be to see if they qualify. But it’s also important for men to have breast awareness. Men have breast tissue, they can get breast cancer,” Semmens said.

Semmens encouraged both women and men to see a doctor if they feel anything abnormal.

Semmens said she is excited to bring back “Pump Up for Pink” next year with hopes of continuing the “March for Mammos.”

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