October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know about 40,000 women in the United States are expected to die this year alone from breast cancer?
A woman's risk of breast cancer nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative like a mother, sister or daughter who has been diagnosed.
The good news is death rates have been decreasing since 1989. Doctors speculate it is because of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening and increased awareness.
FOX 5's Shawn Yancy says she used to blow off her screenings, but that was until she found out her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Now, Shawn is sharing with us her personal journey through her own mammogram and why the process is important for everyone.