They help find cancer when it is small, allowing more treatment options and a better chance of recovery.

It is estimated that 1 in 8 BC women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. 

Screening mammograms are considered the international gold standard for detecting breast cancer early. Mammograms can usually find lumps 2 or 3 years before a woman or her primary care provider can feel them. Research has shown a 25 per cent reduction in deaths from breast cancer among women who regularly screen. 

While women with a family history of breast cancer have a higher than average risk, the biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman over 50 years of age. 

80 per cent of breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women 50 years of age or older.