Interview 08

Age at interview: 50

Brief Outline:

Attended her first routine mammogram at age 50. Has had no breast problems in the past and is awaiting results.

Background:

A district nurse. Married with no children.

She works in the health field and has enough information about breast screening.

Well this was the first mammogram I've ever had and I didn't feel at all anxious about it. I mean you know that when you reach 50 you're going to have a mammogram and, in some ways, because I work with sort of women of my, the same age, we all sort, you know we talk about it, there's no anxiety involved at all. But also, because we are dealing with patients who have cancer, breast cancer, we realise the importance of having it now. You know, if it's detected early enough that the treatment is positive.

Well, it's sort of considered to be a sort of, how can I put it? A rite of passage, really. You know when you reach fifty, that's it, you go for your mammogram and I don't know, we just talk about it here and, you know, some people say “oh, it's painful” and no, we just, how can I put it? We just accept it, it's no big deal and. As I say, we all sort of enquire how it all went and you know, the results and things like that.

Supports breast screening because any breast problems can be found and treated early.

Is there anything you would want to say to people who've never been but maybe they're a bit afraid of going, what would you say to them? 

I would say that having seen women who've had a mammogram and have, you know they've found an abnormality, but it's, as I said before, it's been easily treated and I've seen the positive side to having a mammogram rather than not bothering and you know, maybe developing a severe malignancy. 

So you would say go because....?

Absolutely, absolutely, yes.