Breast Cancer Awareness – plus action!

This year’s celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month has a challenge for you: in addition to wearing pink to raise awareness, you are invited to also take action.

The national campaign, sponsored by the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc., calls for support for women, especially those facing breast cancer, and encourages donations to support additional research or assistance for women on a journey to overcome breast cancer.

Swope Health welcomes you to take action, too. For example:

  • Prioritize your own health! Make an appointment with us for your breast screening. Call 816-523-5800 to schedule. The service fee is $35 (and a sliding fee scale is available).
  • Coordinate with a friend and bring her with you for her exam, too. Or encourage other women in your life to do the same.
  • Perform a self-examination and build a routine of regular self-checks. If you’re not sure how to do a self-check, talk with our clinicians when you come in for a visit.
  • Review the information to become knowledgeable of the earliest indicators of breast cancer. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a great resource on Symptoms of Breast Cancer with answers to common questions.
  • Share kindness and strength with the women around you. After all, breast cancer touches one in eight women.

The annual awareness campaign is important because each year, about 300,000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society. Every year, about 42,000 men and 500 men die from breast cancer, says the CDC.  And, Black women have a higher death rate from breast cancer than all other women.

Breast screenings can be lifesaving. Screenings offer a chance at early detection of breast disease or cancer, and earlier detection means better chances of treatment and recovery. That’s why having a mammogram, the screening test for breast cancer, is so important.

Swope Health performs mammograms in the radiology lab. Mammograms are low-dose X-ray scans that can identify changes in breast tissue. Most appointments take about 30 minutes.

To make an appointment, call us: 816-523-5800. 

 

Celebrating Women – All Women, All Aspects of Health

March is designated as a month to honor and celebrate women.

It is the month for learning about Women’s History, especially those contributions overlooked or undervalued by male historians.  Organizations including the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service and the Smithsonian Institution jointly name March as Women’s History month.

Swope Health also sees the month of March as a great time to support women, and help all women reach the best health possible. Our approach is in service to the whole woman – all ages, all aspects of health.

“We are committed to providing the care that women need as a whole person,” said Dr. Naiomi Jamal, Chief Health Officer at Swope Health. “That is, recognizing women in their entire personhood with special needs and interests, including but not limited to reproductive health. We know that women are so often responsible for the care of others that they might not pay attention to their own needs. We invite all women to take time for themselves and their own care.”

Swope Health’s providers will listen to you and help you listen to your own body. Your body sends signals when it is in need, undergoing changes, or responding to the external environment – and understanding those signals is a key to achieving your best possible health.

Whole-Person Care in Action

Swope Health caregivers routinely ask each patient about your personal situation: Are you living in a safe place? Do you worry about having enough food? Do you feel depressed, lonely or dissatisfied with your life? These questions recognize that life situations can be challenging, and there are ways we can provide help.  It might take the form of support from our Behavioral Health department, with therapy, counseling or medical support.  Or it might be help with housing, transportation, food and insurance.

For women with children, the support might include diapers, car seats, help with breastfeeding or education about nutrition and childcare. We understand your situation, like your body, is unique and our care focuses on you.prenatal and postnatal servicves

At Swope Health Clinics we provide care for women in all stages of their life: adolescence, adulthood and senior years.  Services provided are:

  • Pregnancy testing, with walk-in options, no appointment needed
  • Prenatal and postpartum care
  • Minor surgical procedures
  • Comprehensive family planning services
  • Preventive education and treatment for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases
  • Preventive services including Mammograms, Colon cancer screening, chronic disease screening and treatment
  • Cervical cancer screening and pap smears
  • Overall health assessment and management

 

Care for Today and Tomorrow

Our providers start a care plan based on your current state – your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other basic measurements of your body’s activities. We are attuned to the common issues facing women and help look out for ways to prevent disease and illness.

 

These preventive steps might include coaching sessions with a highly skilled certified dietitian who can help you with cost-effective meal planning and show you ways to prepare meals for you and your family. Other steps might include our programs for managing diabetes or high blood pressure or help with ways to stop smoking and get more exercise. Your care team can help you understand specific information about your personal situation – for example, if you are at risk for heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death in women, you will learn about the different symptoms of heart attack in men and women.

 

Your care team can help with vision and dental services, too. We frequently help patients coordinate schedules to allow for dental, vision, adult, pediatric, or behavioral health care appointments in the same day.

 

Addressing busy schedules

Swope Health has launched a service that provides text reminders of personal health needs. When you sign up with Swope Health, you can choose to get these convenient reminders about due dates for vaccinations, screening tests, check-ins for chronic health visits, kids check-up dates, and behavioral health appointments.

All of this is to say to women: We are here for you. We are ready to listen. We will support and empower you to make your own health a priority.

Start with a call – make an appointment for a visit today: 816-923-5800.

Swope Health supports Breast Cancer Awareness month

October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as designated by the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Throughout the month, Swope Health and other organizations campaign to raise awareness about the impact of breast cancer.

At Swope Health, we encourage women to get breast screening examinations to take better care of their own health.

Swope Health Central will offer walk-in mammograms for women age 50 and older from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday and Thursday in October. No appointment is necessary, and you don’t need a provider’s order. The fee is $25. 

Breast screenings can be lifesaving. Screenings offer a chance at early detection of breast disease or cancer, and earlier detection means better chances of treatment and recovery.

As in the national campaign, Swope Health will invite women to share personal stories of their breast cancer experiences with a goal of honoring those affected by breast cancer. We will invite you to take a selfie, fill out a card with your information or leave your contact information for us to follow up. With your permission, we’ll share your stories.

Mammograms can be lifesaving.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women age 50 and older receive a mammogram screening for breast cancer every two years. Swope Health encourages this, too.

The screening is basically an X-ray of the breast, usually involving two or more images. These images make it possible to identify tumors that can’t be detected by touch.

Early detection reduces the risk of dying from the disease by 25 percent or more, according to BreastCancer.org. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note the smaller a tumor is the more likely it is to be curable. So, having regular mammograms lower the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Black and Hispanic women have higher mortality rates of breast cancer than all other races. Women in lower socio-economic levels have disproportionately higher death rates than those in higher income levels.

Resources:

 

Swope Health offers mammogram screenings to any woman age 50 or older who hasn’t had a screening in two years, without healthcare insurance. You must be a Swope Health patient. This service is provided under grants from The Research Foundation and Komen Kansas + Western Missouri, an affiliate of Susan G. Komen Foundation. Learn more.

 

Swope Health launches free mammogram screenings for women without insurance

Innovative grant programs help Swope Health reduce barriers to care

Swope Health is encouraging women to get breast screening examinations to take better care of their own health.

Breast screenings can be lifesaving. Screenings offer a chance at early detection of breast disease or cancer, and earlier detection means better chances of treatment and recovery.

To make it even easier to get a screening, Swope Health is offering mammogram screenings to any woman age 40 or older without healthcare insurance, under grants from The Research Foundation and Komen Kansas + Western Missouri, an affiliate of Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“Our goal is to provide screenings for women who don’t qualify for Medicaid or don’t have private insurance,” said Jennifer Frost, M.D., Interim Chief Medical Officer at Swope Health. “We know the COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for women to get screened, and this is our way to make it easier.”

Here are the guidelines:

  • Women who are age 50 to 74 are recommended to have regular screenings every two years. No order is required – you can call 816-599-5870 to make an appointment if you haven’t been screened in the last two years.
  • If you are age 40-49 and want a screening, you should make an appointment with your doctor or clinician, who can discuss the risks and benefits of early screening and order a mammogram if appropriate..
  • If you are having any symptoms, such as pain, discharge or swelling, you should contact your doctor or clinician.
  • There is a $25 fee for all breast screening appointments. Women who do not have insurance or Medicaid will not be billed for the screening beyond the $25 fee.

 

COVID-19 affected screenings

During the pandemic, the effects of school and work closures, as well as scaled-back hours at many clinics, made it difficult to maintain healthcare routines. Appointments designed to prevent issues before they appeared were often the first to be cancelled.

Several independent research programs have documented significant declines in preventive care visits, such as for mammograms, Pap smears, and childhood exams, during the pandemic. The Health Care Cost Institute, for example, reported a 16 percent decline in mammograms in 2020 from 2019.

Mammograms can be lifesaving.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends that women age 50 and older receive a mammogram screening for breast cancer every two years. Swope Health encourages this, too.

The screening is basically an X-ray of the breast, usually involving two or more images. These images make it possible to identify tumors that can’t be detected by touch.

Early detection reduces the risk of dying from the disease by 25 percent or more, according to BreastCancer.org. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note the smaller a tumor is the more likely it is to be curable. So, having regular mammograms lower the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Black and Hispanic women have higher mortality rates of breast cancer than all other races. Women in lower socio-economic levels have disproportionately higher death rates than those in higher income levels.

How it works.

When you are scheduled for your appointment, you should expect to spend about a half an hour in the screening. Your images will be professionally reviewed and you’ll be notified of the results. In the event you are called for an additional screening, called a clinical follow up, those costs also are covered.

Call 816-599-5870 to make your appointment. Guidelines on screenings can be confusing, and we are happy to talk with you about options.

 

Resources:

Fact Sheet: African-American Women & Breast Cancer (Breast Cancer Prevention Partners)

Race and Ethnicity (Susan G. Komen Foundation)

Disparities in Breast Cancer: African-American Women (American Cancer Society)

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness MonthPink ribbons are a reminder that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As the pink ribbons and other pink items show up everywhere, they remind us that breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer, affecting about one in eight women.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services notes that most women can survive breast cancer if it is found and treated early. That’s why having a mammogram, the screening test for breast cancer, is so important.

Swope Health provides mammograms for women referred by their provider. The exam takes place in the radiology lab and most appointments take less than 30 minutes, said Claire Holland, Manager of Radiology. The Radiology team also provides free breast cancer awareness materials and health care tips year-round.

Mammograms are important in detecting breast cancer because sometimes, people with breast cancer have no symptoms and the cancer may not be big enough to feel. According to the Society of Breast Imaging, about 75 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no specific identifiable risk factors.

Breast cancer most commonly affects women over age 50, but about 10 percent of new breast cancer cases are found in women under age 45. The American College of Radiology (ACR) notes that it is especially important for African-American women to receive screenings, because African-American women are at a higher risk for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness MonthAfrican-American women:

  • Are 42 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white women, despite roughly equal rates of cancer.
  • Have a two-fold higher risk of aggressive cancers.
  • Are less likely to be diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, but twice as likely to die from early breast cancer.
  • Have a higher risk of genetic mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2, which indicate a much higher risk for breast cancer.

Swope Health follows guidelines of the American College of Radiology, which encourages women to receive a baseline screening at age 35 to 40, and then a mammogram annually from age 40 on. At Swope Health, a mammography tracking system is set up to notify patients when annual mammograms are due.

“Finding cancer early increases the odds of successful treatment,” Claire said. “It’s all about saving lives.”

Learn more about breast cancer from these resources, or schedule an appointment to talk with your provider at Swope Health. We offer a full range of women’s health services, including mammograms, well-woman exams, family planning and prenatal care. Call 816-923-5800 for an appointment.

Learn about Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding WeekSabrina Holliman, Chief Compliance Officer at Swope Health, is getting ready for a new challenge – she will become a first-time mom within a few months.

When she started wondering about breastfeeding, she didn’t have to look far for information. She turned to her colleagues for answers. Treva Smith, a Community Education Specialist in the dental department, has dedicated nearly 20 years to studying, educating and advocating breastfeeding. Treva also serves as member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas Breastfeeding Coalition.

Swope Health Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week, sponsored by the World Health Organization and other groups, is the first week of August each year. The theme this year is “Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.”

Swope Health’s WIC clinic held a Breastfeeding Resource Fair for moms and moms-to-be. The community-wide baby shower promoted breastfeeding and offered food, games and gifts for moms and kids, plus a raffle for special prizes.

The event was sponsored by Home State Health, Missouri Care and United HealthCare.

Swope Resources

Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Jennifer Jones and Swope Health’s WIC Department are also great resources for new moms and moms-to be. The WIC Program, provides supplemental nutrition for low-income Women, Infants and Children and offers extra incentives like breast pumps for breastfeeding moms. The program supports breastfeeding moms with a wealth of education, resources and referrals, plus a personal connection.

“We offer breastfeeding counseling for prenatal and new moms, and education for the whole family,” said Jennifer Jones, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for WIC at Swope Health. “We educate the entire support system – moms, dads, siblings, grandparents, cousins or friends.”

Sabrina’s top questions were ones Swope Health’s breastfeeding support team has heard from other moms-to-be:

  • Where do I start in making a choice between breastfeeding and formula feeding?
Breastfeeding Week

Breastfeeding advocates at Swope Health include these members of the WIC team, from left, Lakeisha Davis, Program Coordinator; Terri Johnson, WIC Certifier; Ramona Mills, WIC Certifier; and Jennifer Jones, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. The team also includes Breastfeeding Peer Counselors Shunte Johnson and Sherri Tauheed.

WIC is a good place to start, Jennifer notes. The federal program provides facts about infant nutrition as well as benefits of breastfeeding.

  • Should I expect breastfeeding to hurt in the beginning? Or does that mean I’m doing something wrong?

Sometimes women hear about pain in breastfeeding, but that is overcome with learning correct latching methods, Jennifer said. Initial soreness and tenderness is completely normal, and peer counselors can help with assuring a good latch and help check for issues like a plugged milk duct, infection or engorgement.

  • I understand it takes 2-5 days to change from producing colostrum to milk. Do I need to supplement with formula during that time?

Colostrum is the first milk produced, right after birth. It is typically thick and yellowish, and is full of the nutrients the baby needs in those first hours and days. You would use a supplement only if the baby isn’t nursing, she said.

  • How will I know if the baby is getting enough milk?

At birth, a baby’s tummy is about the size of a marble, and after 10 days, it’s about the size of a ping-pong ball. So it doesn’t take much to fill up a baby, Jennifer said. The best signs are if the baby seems happy after feedings, and if the baby is growing and gaining weight. There is also a series of indicators in the baby’s diapers, based on the number, type and colors of the baby’s poop – and this is the kind of info you’ll learn in more detail in classes or discussions with a peer counselor, she added.

  • When I go back to work, should I maintain the pump schedule?

Jennifer recommends continuing on a schedule, or at least every three hours. She notes it is important to maintain production for your baby.

The Swope Health WIC team welcomed Sabrina’s questions – and those from any moms or moms-to-be in the community.

“We’re passionate about empowering and educating moms on breastfeeding, which can improve health outcomes for babies and moms,” Jennifer said.

Research has shown that babies fed breast milk have less sickness, asthma and allergies. Babies get antibodies for immune system support and gut health as well as brain stimulation during breastfeeding. For moms, breastfeeding is linked to less osteoporosis and reduced risk of cancer. It can improve mental health by stimulating the hormones that help women through postpartum. Bonding between mom and baby helps with calmness and a better mental state for both, Jennifer noted.

The WIC program offers two breastfeeding classes, scheduled every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, which cover all aspects of breastfeeding. Classes start with details about what to expect, during and after pregnancy, including changes in anatomy. Moms learn how to help the baby latch correctly and how to hold the baby in the way that is best for both. There is also discussion of community resources, like Medicaid support for pumps, meal planning and all the other aspects of life that can affect breastfeeding.

The WIC team also works to challenge stigmas around breastfeeding, emphasizing the benefits of supporting women. In recent years, employers have evolved to provide time and comfortable rooms for moms to pump milk. Employers have learned that if the baby is healthy, Mom will be less likely to need to take unscheduled time off for sickness or doctor’s visits, Jennifer said.  Swope Health employees use the lactation room in WIC, a private and comfortable space to express milk during work hours.

“We prepare moms as best we can,” Jennifer said. “We know it’s one thing to learn and it’s another to experience it firsthand! We’re here to help with questions anytime. We work with moms in the clinic and provide referrals if the mom needs additional help, like with a healthcare provider or a lactation consultant.”

Sabrina said she was happy to learn answers to her questions, with resources so readily available right where she works.

“It’s wonderful to feel so supported by Swope Health,” she said. “I’m so glad to have such wonderful resources right here for all moms.”

Got 30 minutes? Get a Mammogram.

toolkit_badge_OctPink ribbons are popping up everywhere, an effective reminder of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October this national and international campaign, organized by major breast cancer research non-profits, kicks into gear to emphasize awareness of the disease and teach prevention tips.

Swope Health Services supports breast cancer awareness by providing year-round mammogram services, said Claire Holland, Manager of Radiology. During October as well as the rest of the year, the Radiology Department also provides free breast cancer awareness information and health care tips.

“If you have a mammogram, it can change your life,” Claire said. “A lot of cancers can’t be found without a mammogram – it’s important to be checked. The quicker a problem is found, the easier the treatment. If untreated, over time, it spreads and the risk increases.”

Claire noted that most visits take about 30 minutes, with the actual mammogram lasting about eight minutes.

She recalled an instance last year in which a mother and daughter came in together. The mother was afraid to get a mammogram – her last one, years earlier, had shown an abnormality but she never followed up. As a result, she was fearful, Claire said.

But her daughter encouraged her, and both were screened. The results came back normal.

“It was a cool thing,” Claire said. “She would never have gotten it done, but her daughter pushed her. Now she doesn’t have to be afraid.”

A mammogram is just one of the steps you can take toward breast health, Claire said. Other steps focus on healthy lifestyle habits, understanding personal risk, knowing the signs and symptoms, and learning how to detect changes in your breasts.

BreastCancerMortality_1200x630The signs and symptoms can include any change in the size or shape of breasts, pain in any areas, nipple discharge or the presence of any lump.

But mammograms are important, because some people with breast cancer have no symptoms at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  A mammogram won’t prevent cancer, but it can help find it early, when it is easier to treat.

The World Health Organization reports that breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, with about 1.4 million new cases each year. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, in the US, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women (after skin cancer). About one in eight women in the US will get breast cancer.

So, take action: schedule a visit with your provider today. Call 816-923-5800 for an appointment; to schedule your mammogram, call 816-599-5870.

Do you need a mammogram?

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists encourages women to discuss their health and risks with their provider and take an active approach to managing their own health care. The goal is to encourage and support women in making informed, individualized decisions about when to start screening, how often to be screened and when to end screening.

Here are the general guidelines for screening:

  • Women at average risk of breast cancer should be screened at age 40.
  • At age 50, if a woman has not had a mammogram screening, she should.
  • Women with average risk of breast cancer should have follow-up mammogram screenings every year or every other year.
  • Screenings should continue until about age 75, for women at average risk.

Find more details on the ACOG recommendations here.

Resources:

Breast is Best! Celebrating Breastfeeding Aug. 1-7

Read more

Celebrating Moms and Healthy Babies

Ahkeya Howard

Ahkeya Howard, SHS Lead Community Health Worker and a licensed clinical social worker, shows off some of the many resources available to participants in the Healthy Start Initiative.

At Swope Health Services’ Healthy Start Initiative, every day is Mother’s Day.

The program, operating at SHS Central and Wyandotte, is where pregnant women and moms can find support for just about any need. About 80 women are now enrolled.

Healthy Start is a federal program, offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) department of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, to support healthy pregnancy and early childhood.

The Kansas City Healthy Start Initiative operates at SHS and at Samuel Rodgers Health Center as a program of the Mother & Child Health Coalition.

Kansas City Healthy Start supports eligible women from certain zip codes in Jackson (MO) and Wyandotte (KS) counties where infant mortality rates are higher than average.

The free program helps pregnant women and women with children under the age of 2 get information and services they need to have a healthy pregnancy, raise a healthy family, and keep themselves healthy and strong.

After enrolling, each participant is assigned a community health worker. Each program starts with an exploration, said Ahkeya Howard, SHS Lead Community Health Worker and a licensed clinical social worker.

“We talk about your needs,” Ahkeya said. “We ask questions and provide support. We are here for you.”

That support can be personal – encouragement, advocacy, listening and training. It can also be tangible items, like diapers (provided by Happy Bottoms), baby cribs and car seats.

For example, when mothers complete Safe Sleep Training provided by community health workers and Infant Loss Resources, they are eligible to receive a free portable playpen/napper.

Each participant is encouraged to set goals, which can also range from personal (practicing better coping skills or relationship building) to professional (enrolling in training, getting a degree or finding a job).

If needed, the support extends to finding housing, transportation, food and signing up for other benefits like health insurance.

Participants typically visit the program once a month, and the goals are re-examined and reset every six months. The program, typically covering the span from a child’s birth until age 2, focuses on key topics of relationships, education, employment, health, mental health, basic essentials and child development.

“It’s important to think about the future, about what will be best for your child,” Ahkeya said. “We’re your cheerleaders and we want to see you succeed.”

This month, the “cheerleaders” organized a special drawing for two baskets filled with treats designed to pamper new moms. All the items were donated by associates in WIC and Healthy Start, and all visitors to either program in the month of May were entered into the drawing.

“There’s something to celebrate every day,” Ahkeya said. “Happy moms and healthy babies are our favorite reasons.”

To learn more about the Healthy Start Initiative, ask your SHS OB-GYN or pediatric provider or talk with Ahkeya Howard at SHS Central or by phone at (816) 599-5791.

The staff of the WIC and Healthy Start Initiative

The staff of the WIC and Healthy Start Initiative donated items to create two gift baskets as another way to celebrate moms in their programs.

Birthday Kits Celebrate Moms and Moms-to-Be!

birthday

Hawthorne109, a boutique featuring fashion and gifts from local Kansas City businesses, is celebrating its one-year anniversary in the City Market in April.

That’s reason enough for the shop’s owners to extend the party to Swope Health Services in a unique and festive way:  birthday celebration kits.

The kits, each featuring a cake mix, frosting, candles and decorative items, will be given to moms and moms-to-be in our OB/GYN department while supplies last.

The giveaways will occur throughout April and May, said Bobby Mickens, SHS Director of Nursing.

“These kits are a fun way to show our new moms and moms-to-be just how much we—and the community—care about them and their babies,” said Bobby.

“The timing is perfect, too, as we’ve recently renovated the Women’s Health Clinic and hope to welcome more moms into the SHS family.”

Hawthorne109 is enlisting support from the entire City Market community from now to April 30. The shop will host a special “Cake Day” April 21 offering customers complimentary cupcakes from Bloom Baking Co., 15 E. Third St., Kansas City, MO, to encourage support for birthday kits.

Visit Hawthorne109 at 400 S. Grand Boulevard to learn more about this drive and shop the fashion and gift items from local Kansas City businesses.

Our talented OB/GYN team is ready to care for you. Look to us for all your women’s health needs, including pre-natal and post-partum care. Schedule an appointment today by calling 816-923-5800.