(Batesville, Ark.) – Thanks to the support of community members and businesses, White River Health System (WRHS) Foundation is eager to announce the installation of two 3D mammography machines.  The machines were purchased with the help of funds from the WRHS Foundation 3D Mammography campaign that included Paint the Town Pink (PTTP).   PTTP was created in 2019 to raise funds for mammography and build awareness around Breast Cancer Screening and Detection.  In its first year, PTTP collected over $300,000.  With great support from local communities, this year’s campaign raised over $130,000. 

“We are honored to be a part of a wonderful community,” said Michele Wood, Executive Director of Marketing and Foundation.  “Our local businesses and residents always rally together to create better opportunities for our community members.”

Approximately 5,000 mammograms were performed at White River Medical Center (WRMC) in 2020 alone. The purchase of the 3D mammography machines will provide the highest resolution possible to detect abnormalities.

“Traditional 2D mammograms obtain two images of each breast, making detection of cancer difficult in dense tissue,” said Dr. Michelle Warden, Radiologist. “3D mammograms take multiple images to recreate a 3-dimensional picture that can be viewed as multiple thin slices which reduces tissue overlap and allows for better visualization of small cancers.  3D mammography has been clinically proven to detect more invasive cancers and reduce callbacks compared to 2D alone, especially in women with dense breast tissue."

One in eight women are diagnosed with Breast Cancer each year.  Besides Skin Cancer, it is the most diagnosed cancer in American women. If you are at least 40 years old or if you have a family history of Breast Cancer, talk to your Primary Care Provider or OB/GYN about scheduling a mammogram. WRMC will begin scheduling appointments for 3D Mammograms the middle of February. Follow the White River Health System Facebook Page for the latest Updates regarding 3D mammography.