Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2021

The Best inBreast Care By Kelly Fry When a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer, the weight of the diagnosis and the fear of the unknown can be overwhelming. Sadly, this diagnosis is all too common. In the United States, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer. At least 281,000 diagnoses are expected this year. Locally, Kootenai Health reported 241 breast cancer diagnoses last year alone. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has led many women to delay and skip routine health screenings, including mammography, which identifies cancer at early stages. When it is caught at its earliest state, 97 percent of women with breast cancer can be successfully treated. Once cancer spreads, the rate of success drops significantly, and the cancer can become deadly. Meetingnational standards Aaron Chalmers, M.D., board- certified general surgeon and member of the breast excellence team at Kootenai Health, encourages patients who have received a cancer diagnosis to seek providers and programs that have proven themselves as the best in the industry. “Patients should seek out providers who offer the three A’s of excellent clinical care: ability, availability and affability,” said Dr. Chalmers. “Kootenai Health offers that and more. We are the only medical facility in the Spokane- Coeur d’Alene region accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) as a Breast Center of Excellence.” The recent reaccreditation by the NAPBC means that Kootenai Health has met the highest national standards in breast cancer care. The hallmark of Kootenai’s program is the multidisciplinary approach Care as unique as you Your breast cancer journey isn’t one-size-fits-all, and we’ll keep you in mind every step of the way. Visit KH.org/cancer to learn more and get started. You don’t have to go far for great care— Kootenai is nationally recognized for breast care Aaron Chalmers, M.D. 14