Va pittsburgh encourages veterans to access breast health services during breast cancer awareness month | va pittsburgh health care | veterans affairs

Pittsburgh , PA — VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) encourages Veterans to get screened for breast cancer during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second

most common cancer in women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Localized breast cancer has a 99% survival rate if detected early. Wear Pink Day at VAPHS is Friday,

Oct. 29. We encourage Veterans, visitors and staff who are at our Pittsburgh campuses and outpatient clinics that day to wear pink in honor of those who have or have had breast cancer, and

to encourage others to have screening mammograms. Our Women Veterans Program coordinator will be available from 8 a.m. to noon at our University Drive campus to discuss mammography and

women’s health. “VA encourages all women Veterans to speak with their health care providers about breast health and get checked and treated for breast cancer,” said Nicole McCune, Women

Veterans Program manager. “We recognize that some Veterans may have missed their regularly scheduled mammogram due to COVID-19 and encourage women Veterans to reach out to their VA health

care provider to get one scheduled.” During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and throughout the year, VAPHS offers high quality women’s health care, including breast care services. “VA leads

the nation’s health care systems in providing mammograms to those who need them,” McCune said. “Every VA medical center has a Women Veterans Program manager to ensure women Veterans have

access to appropriate care and treatment.” VAPHS performs screening mammograms at the University Drive campus and coordinates any other needed breast imaging or procedures through the Office

of Community Care. VA Pittsburgh has a multidisciplinary team on staff to provide comprehensive breast cancer care, including medical and radiation oncologists.  Breast care resources

available through VA include screening and diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasound and MRI, genetic counseling and testing, cancer treatment and more. VA recommends regular breast cancer

screening for women who are 45 years of age and older, though some women may choose to start screening with yearly mammograms as early as age 40. Women should talk with their VA primary care

provider team about what is best for them. Veterans using VA Pittsburgh for their care do not need a physician’s consult and may schedule routine screening mammograms directly by calling

412-360-3306 or walk in and request one from our Radiology Department at University Drive weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. ### ABOUT VA PITTSBURGH HEALTHCARE SYSTEM VA Pittsburgh Healthcare

System (VAPHS) is one of the largest and most progressive VA health care systems in the nation. More than 4,000 employees serve nearly 80,000 veterans every year, providing a range of

services from complex transplant medicine to routine primary care. VAPHS is a leader in virtual care delivery through telehealth technology; a center of research and learning with 118

research investigators and $13.2 million in funding; and a provider of state-of-the-art health care training to some 1,500 student trainees annually. VAPHS provides care at medical centers

in Oakland and O’Hara Township in Pennsylvania and five outpatient clinics in Belmont County, Ohio, and Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania. Veterans can

call 412-360-6162 to check eligibility or enrollment. Stay up to date at pittsburgh.va.gov, Facebook and Twitter.