If you’ve ever been to a Walmart, you have probably seen restaurants and food services, but Walmart’s partnership with RadNet brings new things to the table.Walmart started to offer mammograms in Milford, Delaware on December 8 to raise breast cancer awareness. .
In collaboration with Walmart, RadNet is launching a program to make breast cancer screening more accessible, due to the fact that ninety percent of Americans live within ten miles of a Walmart.
The American Cancer Society reports that one in eight women will eventually develop breast cancer. Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women.
Mammograms are used to find disease in people who may not have experienced any symptoms. However, accessing screenings can be difficult due to cost barriers and limited provider availability. RadNet’s MammogramNow, is an innovative screening mammography service.
“Women are so busy with careers and caretaking, with about 42% reporting that they are burned out. We want to make this a crucial appointment as easy as possible, so that women can fit this life-saving exam into their schedules,” Medical Director of Women’s Imaging at Delaware Imaging Network Dr. Jaqueline Holt said.
Over the eighteen month program, RadNet will raise breast cancer health awareness and expand to additional locations. RadNet has some additional goals, such as providing same day results.
Customers can walk in or schedule an appointment. A mammography technologist will conduct the 3D mammogram in an exam room with privacy similar to a doctor’s office.
“The more options the better, women will have more options to choose what works for their specific individual needs,” NHS spanish teacher Alison Flannery said.
RadNet’s National Director of Screening Networks and Population Health Strategy Tim Merchant said the out of pocket cost for a 3D mammogram is 210 dollars. Depending on your insurance, most of the cost will be covered, if not all.
According to Merchant, he said patients will experience 4 compressions lasting only 3.7 seconds each. A mammogram can detect breast changes that may indicate cancer years before any physical symptoms surface. The technology does have limitations and may not detect all types of breast cancer.
To enhance detection, MammogramNow also offers optional enhanced breast cancer detection using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The program will highlight any areas that are suspected of tumors/cancer, but there is an additional charge.
“I think that that’s a really effective and beneficial thing because I think a lot of women do not have access to it, and having it at Walmart will make it easier for people who don’t have access to it. Normalizing it so that it’s something that's unheard of. It’s nothing to hide, it's very normal,” NHS senior Kiera Kennedy said.
Regular screenings annually are recommended for women over 40 years old. Those who are at higher risk are advised to talk to their health care provider about beginning mammograms at an early age.
Bethel High School Science teacher and former NHS teacher Kateri Kenney, the wife of NHS English teacher Marc Kenney, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Mr. Kenney discussed the value of regular pre-screening.
“My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in mid-January and through the initial doctor’s visits the thing that kept coming up was early detection being key to survival,” Kenney said. “I feel like the sheer number of Walmart’s in this country [there are over 5,000 as of 2024] make it at least easier to have access to mammograms. In the end, how could it not save lives?”
Next time you go shopping at your local Walmart, have eyes peeled for the newest mammogram screening location. When it comes to beating breast cancer, early detection is crucial for better management and a better future outcome.