She felt unusual pain at the gym and soon learned she had breast cancer

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Being diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer was the last thing Rachael Ocello imagined would happen to her as a senior in college.

The 21-year-old was at the gym with her best friend one day when she says she “just felt something hurt.”

“I made an appointment with a doctor. After he felt the lump, I was sent to get an ultrasound. They convinced me that, because of my age, the lump wasn’t malignant. Sure enough, I got a call from the doctor when I was in class saying I had breast cancer,” Rachel told Reader’s Digest.

That diagnosis led to a double mastectomy, fertility treatments, three rounds of chemo and a long emotional roller coaster. But Rachel survived and is now a healthy young woman.

“My hope for survival was fueled by my incredible support system and the idea that I have so much more life to live and so much to give to the world!,” she said.

It’s easy to think of breast cancer as a “national problem” that “other” people in the country face, but the reality is that women locally are fighting it as well.

In 2014, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports that 191 women in Idaho died from breast cancer. That’s 191 mothers, daughters, wives and friends.

Although you should definitely see a doctor if you have an experience like Rachel’s — regardless of your age — the American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging recommends all women over 40 get a mammogram every year, as one in six breast cancers occur in women aged 40 to 49.

Here are 4 reasons why:

1. Mammograms save lives. Women who get screened decrease their chance of dying from breast cancer by 30 percent. It is the single most important thing a woman can do to lessen her chances of dying from breast cancer.
2. Early detection is the key to the cure. Mammography can detect cancer at early stages before women can feel a lump. When breast cancer is detected early, at a localized stage, the survival rate is 98 percent.
3. It doesn’t take much time. On average, a mammogram takes 20 minutes. You wait in line longer at the DMV to get a driver’s license!
4. You can be a role model. Your example can encourage other women in your life to get their annual mammogram. You may save someone else’s life. Do it for yourself and for those you love.

If you’re worried or scared about getting a mammogram, doctors at Teton Radiology can answer all your questions and put you at ease. Don’t become a statistic. Make your appointment today.