The Scary Part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Don’t Let Fear Keep You from Getting Screened.
October is filled with things designed to scare us. Haunted houses, scary movies, costumes, and decorations are all part of the fun of Halloween.
But there are other kinds of fear that aren't so fun.
The fear of scheduling a mammogram.
The fear of noticing something different in your breast.
The anxiety of waiting for results.
Or even the thought, “What if they find something?”
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we want to talk about that fear—because it is real. But we also want to talk about something incredibly important:
Fear shouldn't keep us from taking care of ourselves.
Breast cancer screening can find cancer earlier, sometimes before a person has symptoms or can feel a lump. The CDC notes that regular mammograms can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer. CDC
Early Detection Can Make a Major Difference
One of the reasons screening matters so much is that breast cancer outcomes vary dramatically depending on how far the cancer has spread when it is diagnosed.
According to American Cancer Society data, among U.S. women diagnosed between 2015 and 2021, the five-year relative survival rate was greater than 99% when invasive breast cancer was localized to the breast. That compares with 87% when the cancer was regional and 32% when it had spread to distant parts of the body. These statistics describe groups of people and cannot predict an individual's outcome, but they illustrate why finding breast cancer earlier can matter so much. American Cancer Society
A mammogram can sometimes detect breast cancer before a lump is large enough to feel or symptoms develop. CDC
That's why making the appointment—even when you're nervous—is so important.
When Should You Get a Mammogram?
For women at average risk, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends a screening mammogram every two years from ages 40 through 74. People at higher risk may need a different screening schedule or additional screening, such as breast MRI. CDC
Your individual plan can depend on factors such as your personal and family medical history and genetic risk, so your healthcare provider is the right person to help determine when and how often you should be screened.
This is particularly important for people with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer or known inherited genetic mutations associated with breast cancer risk.
Don't wait until age 40 to discuss your risk if you have reasons to believe you may be at higher risk.
Know What Is Normal for Your Body
Screening is only part of breast health.
Pay attention to changes in your breasts and talk with a healthcare professional if something doesn't seem normal for you.
Changes worth bringing to a healthcare provider's attention can include a new lump, nipple discharge, changes in the appearance of the nipple, breast pain, or changes in the texture or appearance of the breast skin. And remember: a lump isn't the only possible symptom of breast cancer. CDC
Finding a change does not automatically mean cancer. Many breast changes have other causes. But unexplained changes deserve a conversation with a healthcare professional rather than being ignored.
Here in Connecticut, Screening Matters Too
Breast cancer has a particularly important place in Connecticut's public-health conversation.
According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, 76.2% of Connecticut women age 40 and older were up to date with breast cancer screening, compared with 70.2% nationally, placing Connecticut fourth in the country on that measure. Connecticut also reported a breast cancer incidence rate of 157.9 cases per 100,000 women in 2021. CT.gov
It's important not to interpret a high incidence rate by itself as meaning Connecticut residents are necessarily at greater underlying risk. Screening can contribute to more cancers being detected and recorded.
And Connecticut has resources for people for whom the cost of screening is another source of worry.
What If I Can't Afford a Mammogram?
The Connecticut Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (CBCCEDP) provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to eligible medically underserved residents through healthcare providers across the state.
Services can include screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, clinical breast exams and, when appropriate, diagnostic procedures such as breast biopsies. CT.gov
The Connecticut Department of Public Health says its early-detection program provided more than 12,000 no-cost mammograms over the five years preceding October 2025 and screens approximately 5,000 Connecticut residents for breast cancer each year. CT.gov
Connecticut residents can also call the Department of Public Health at 860-509-7804 for assistance finding screening resources. CT.gov
Don't Let the Fear of Knowing Become the Reason You Don't Know
Maybe you've been putting off making the appointment.
Maybe you're overdue for your mammogram.
Maybe breast cancer runs in your family, and you've been meaning to ask your doctor about your individual risk.
Or maybe you've noticed something different and you've been hoping it will simply go away.
Make the call. Ask the question. Schedule the appointment.
We can't control every change life brings us. But we can give ourselves the opportunity to find something earlier, understand our individual risk, and make informed decisions about our health.
At In-Home Angels, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is particularly meaningful because cancer has personally touched the story behind our company. Our CEO, JoBeth Foley, is a breast cancer survivor with a BRCA1 gene mutation. Her experience of being the person who needed care helped shape the compassion and perspective she later brought to caring for others.
Today, we're grateful to be able to give back to the cancer community and support individuals and families navigating some of life's most uncertain moments.
So, this October, enjoy the costumes, haunted houses and scary movies.
But don't let fear be the reason you put off taking care of yourself.
Talk with your healthcare provider about your breast cancer risk and the screening schedule that's appropriate for you.
Because when it comes to breast cancer, knowing earlier can make a meaningful difference.
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