DECATUR COUNTY, GA (WTXL) — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Decatur County neighbors are using it as a reminder that breast cancer can affect anyone — at any age. One in 10 new breast cancer cases in the U.S. are diagnosed in women under 45, according to the CDC. For neighbor Brooke Poitevint, that statistic is personal. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at 36 years old — without ever having had a mammogram.
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"I'm too young for this. I have kids. Um, I'm married. Why me?" Poitevint said.
"I had never had a mammogram because I'm not 40. I felt the burning pain and felt a lump. Um, I called my doctor the next day. I made an appointment for the following day. Um, I didn't really think anything would come of it. I thought it might have been a cyst or something," Poitevint said.
She later discovered she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
After 16 chemo treatments, surgery and radiation, Poitevint is now on hormone blockers and says she's living her life.
Like Poitevint, many women under 40 don't expect a cancer diagnosis. Addressing those misconceptions brought the Decatur County Breast Cancer Support Group, Memorial Hospital and Manor, the Decatur County Public Health Department, the Bainbridge Decatur County Chamber of Commerce and Bank OZK together Thursday to let community members know about available breast health care options, services and support.
Dr. Charles Brown, a radiologist at Memorial Hospital and Manor, said common misconceptions can give neighbors a false sense of security.
"One of the most common is that they don't feel anything, and so they're fine or they're okay, and they think breast cancer is not going to affect them. Most breast cancers we find are not felt by the patient or their provider, so that doesn't protect you. The other is that breast cancer doesn't run in my family, and so I'm safe or I'm not going to be affected by breast cancer. And that's really a misconception as well. Breast cancer cells don't care what's happened in your family," Brown said.
Health experts say for women under 40 who may not get routine mammogram checks, monthly self-breast exams and paying close attention to any changes in your body are crucial to staying on top of breast health.
The Decatur County Health Department also offers mammograms for free to those who meet certain requirements.
The community's message this Breast Cancer Awareness Month: no matter your gender, age or medical history, breast cancer can affect anyone.
Poitevint's advice to her neighbors is simple.
"Take the time to take care of yourself. Check yourself, whether you're a man or a woman. Um, because you might not be old enough to necessarily get a mammogram or things like that, but you should definitely check yourself," Poitevint said.
For more information about local breast cancer awareness efforts in Decatur County, contact Amy Reeves-Dollar.
Screening resources are also available through the Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program and the American Cancer Society.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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