My First Mammogram

When I think about women’s health, I think about all the thought processes which sit around this – how much it hurts, how embarrassing it is etc. So, with this in mind I thought I would share my experience of having my first mammogram.

But first a confession – I am notoriously bad at looking after myself – hospitals aren’t really my thing. The thought of stripping off in front of a complete stranger fills me with horror and probably the stranger too to be honest! It’s probably worth noting as well I didn’t tell anyone at work where I was going apart from my manager so to write this blog at all is way out of comfort zone!

However, this year at Strategi we are raising money for our charity Big Girl Pants as our lives have been touched by breast cancer and it seemed to be the best way to honour their experience was to get myself checked out.

So off I went to the glamour of the local Morrison’s car park where there is a mobile unit for Breast Screening. The first thing I want to say is how lovely and chatty everyone was – for me it was so helpful that there was a matter of factness about the whole thing i.e., “Pop in the cubicle and just take your top and bra off and we will be with you in a minute.” And if was a minute – the speed of the whole thing (I was in and out in less than 15 minutes) leaves you less time for worrying as by the time you have started it is all done.

When it came to the screening itself – the whole process was explained step by step and it didn’t feel that weird standing there with my top off and having my top half manipulated by a strange woman. Interestingly enough we chatted about one of my favourite topics Strictly – it’s surprising how distracting Krishnan Guru Murthy’s performances can be! I had two images taken on each breast. One is pretty straightforward – there is a bit of squeeze which felt like having your blood pressure taken and you have to hold your breath. The second involved sticking my bum out and standing at a weird angle – I’m glad that there isn’t a whole-body photograph of that! Again, there was a squeeze and a hold of breath and that was it – it was all done!

I appreciate that every women’s experience is different, and this is just mine. If this blog inspires you to do nothing else than please attend your appointment – it’s fifteen minutes and could save your life. And if you able please donate to Big Girls Pants it would make a difference to so many women’s experiences.

Thank you!