Campaign Urges Mammogram Sign-Ups

There is still time for women who want to sign up for relatively low-cost mammograms during the American Cancer Society’s February campaign to provide the diagnostic procedure to thousands of California women.

A mammogram is an X-ray that reveals changes in breast tissue and tumors smaller than can be detected through physical examination.

Women 35 and older are receiving mammograms at medical facilities in eight counties that agreed to discount the price for the campaign. The procedure can normally cost as much as $250, the Cancer Society said. More than 100 facilities, whose equipment was surveyed by the society, collectively volunteered to do a total of 30,000 mammograms for $50 each.

To be eligible, women must be 35 or older, have never had a mammogram, have no apparent symptoms of breast cancer, not be pregnant or nursing a child and must not have had previous breast surgery or radiation treatment to the breast.

The Cancer Society recommends that women over 35 have a baseline (first) mammogram, which can be referred to for later comparison. After 40, society guidelines include periodic mammograms (as prescribed based on family and health histories), an annual breast examination by a doctor and monthly self-examination. After age 50 the society advises yearly mammograms as well as annual examination by a doctor and monthly self-examination.

Dr. John Beeston, a member of the ACS California Division board of directors and chairman of the low-cost mammography program, said the program had two objectives, one to detect cancer early in its most curable stages and the other to encourage a long-term reduction in the cost of mammography.

Eligible women who would like to take advantage of the reduced-price mammograms can call local offices of the American Cancer Society.

Calling child care an urgent problem “touching on issues of poverty and society’s future,” the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles will conduct public meetings on the subject at nine L.A. locations in March.

Among the issues to be explored are the role of business in providing for child care, multicultural child-care centers, pregnant teen-age students and the qualifications and salaries of child-care workers.

“We are concentrating on several areas,” said clinical psychologist Florence Diamond, the league’s child-care consultant. “People have concentrated on (care for) the young children, 2 to 5. We are pointing up the need for school-age children. The league is also concerned with programs to keep teen-agers in school while they are pregnant and after giving birth. The Los Angeles School District has an excellent program for this, but not enough places to meet the need.”

Times and locations are: 10 a.m. on March 15 and 22 at the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles offices, 6030 Wilshire Blvd.; 9:30 a.m. on March 11 and 18, Gibraltar Savings & Loan, 3701 S. La Brea Ave.; 9:30 a.m. March 11 and 18, Union Federal Savings, 2450 Glendale Blvd.; 9:15 a.m. March 11 and 18, 10680 Esterina Way, Culver City; 6 p.m. March 18, The Breakers Seafood restaurant, 11970 Venice Blvd., West Los Angeles; 9:30 a.m. March 12 and 19, 520 N. Bristol Ave., Brentwood; 9:30 a.m. March 12 and 19, 3300 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles; 9:30 a.m. March 13 and 20, Palisades Branch Library, 861 Alma Real Drive, Pacific Palisades; and 9:30 a.m. March 13 and 20 at Westwood Methodist Church, 10497 Wilshire Blvd. Information: (213) 939-3535.