October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Local Senior Development Manager with the American Cancer Society Stacey Dutton shares the screening guidelines on scheduling mammograms:
“Ages now are 40 to 44, have the option to get screened every year. Then we move to 45 to 54, you want to get screened every year. Women should have that appointment. If you haven’t already, or you have already, go ahead and schedule for next year or get your mammogram appointment soon. Ages 55 plus, women can switch to a mammogram every other year or they can choose to continue yearly mammograms. It is all in how they feel, the conversation with their doctor; as we know everybody is different and everybody’s bodies are different, so have those conversations with your doctors.”
With the Knox County Health Department, eligible women in Knox, Warren, and Henderson Counties can receive free breast exams, mammograms, pelvic exams, and pap tests through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. More information can be obtained by calling 309-344-2224.
Courtesy of the American Cancer Society
This October, the American Cancer Society (ACS) commemorates the 40th anniversary of the founding of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In 1985, ACS co-led the effort to start Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a week-long campaign to educate women about the importance of early screening and routine mammograms for breast cancer detection and treatment. In 2025, more than 316,000 women are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the United States, making the efforts of the awareness month increasingly important.
According to the ACS’s Cancer Facts & Figures 2025 report, approximately 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime, and 1 in 43 will die from the disease. However, there has been tremendous progress; ACS researchers project that by 2035, the number of breast cancer survivors will reach 5.3 million. Today, ACS encourages everyone to turn awareness into action in the continued mission of ending breast cancer as we know it. To combat the disease and support both individuals and their families going through a diagnosis, ACS funds research that advances prevention and treatment efforts, advocates for equitable access to care, and provides programs, services, and science-based cancer information, helping to ensure that no one faces breast cancer—or any cancer—alone.
“As we look back at 40 years of breast cancer awareness, the number 40 is significant. Breast cancer mortality is down more than 40% and 40 is when women should start having a conversation with their doctor about getting a mammogram,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer at the American Cancer Society. “ACS is proud to have played a significant role in the advancement of breast cancer research and the development of innovative patient support tools.”
For the past four decades, ACS researchers and scientists have been an integral part of breast cancer therapy breakthroughs:
1980s-1990
BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are discovered, and the FDA approves the drug Herceptin
2000s
Breast cancer stem cells are identified
2010s
Triple-negative breast cancer immunotherapy approved
2020s
mRNA-based breast cancer vaccines show promise, and liquid biopsies projected to expand
Despite these breakthroughs and advances in early detection and treatment, alarming disparities remain for Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Black women. In 2024, ACS launched the VOICES of Black Women study to address these ongoing cancer disparities and to better understand cancer risk and outcomes.
“Due in part to the work of the American Cancer Society, 3 in 4 women are now up to date on screening, which is the greatest reason mortality has reduced,” said Kamal. “But 1 in 4 are not up to date, and we need to close that gap. That’s why this October, we’re encouraging everyone to do more than wear pink, to go beyond ribbons and awareness, to take action. Because every action counts.”
Learn more and ways to take action at www.cancer.org/BreastCancerAction.
Additional ACS Resources:
