When Kim Vandermeer, of Alexandria, Virginia, noticed a lump in her breast, she never thought it could be cancer.
"My primary care physician actually told me to get my mammogram when I turned 40, but I didn’t," she said. "I didn’t really take it seriously."
A new study from MedStar Health shows the majority of women aren’t getting their annual mammograms. And according to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer rates are rising the highest in Asian American women.
Vandermeer did get a mammogram the following year, when she turned 41. It revealed a mass that would turn out to be stage 2 breast cancer. She would go on to have several surgeries and chemotherapy.
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"It was definitely devastating at first," Vandermeer said. "I didn’t know anyone in my circle of friends, in my family, that had breast cancer, so I didn’t know who to talk to."
But she’s far from alone.
The American Cancer Society putting out a new study last week, showing that breast cancer rates are rising an average of 1% a year, with Asian American women seeing the sharpest increase, at 2.5% a year.
"It makes me sad to know that there is a rise in Asian Americans, but I hope that as more awareness is going out, that they won’t feel as alone," Vandermeer said.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) says there are also disparities for Black women, who have a 38% higher risk of dying from breast cancer than white women. It’s why the ACS is currently conducting a study of 100,000 Black women throughout the country, to try to understand the factors behind cancer risk and survival.
There’s also hopeful news on the horizon.
"Even though the incidence -- the number of cases -- is going up, the chance of dying is going down," said Dr. Arnold Baskies with the ACS.
He says better detection and treatment options have increased the breast cancer survival rate to 93%.
"I would advocate that everyone who’s eligible to be screened do that," Baskies said.
As for Vandermeer, she finished chemo in November 2023. Now cancer-free, she recently went on a hike in Switzerland, something she could only dream of during treatment.
"I just couldn’t stop crying because I was so proud and I just was filled with overwhelming joy," she said.
And she's also spreading awareness in the hopes of helping save lives.
"It makes me so happy to know that by me sharing my story, my friends are getting their mammograms," she said.
