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West Jordan • Mayor Melissa Johnson marked the opening of Jordan Valley Hospital's new breast care center with a mammogram.
It was a first for Johnson who, approaching her 41st birthday, says she wanted to show how quick and painless the life-saving procedure can be.
Breast cancer, the most common form of cancer in women, is highly treatable when caught early, said Johnson, a member of the hospital's advisory board. "When you get screened it shows you care about your family ... that you want to be around to see your daughter graduate and to teach your son to drive."
It's a message embodied by the design of the breast care center with its soft lighting, warm hardwood floors and plush exam robes, explained Cathy Story, vice president of operations for Jordan Valley's parent company IASIS Healthcare. "Women tend to meet everyone else's needs first. We want to instill in them that you need to take care of yourself before you can care for others."
IASIS has opened four such centers nationwide with two more under construction — each designed to make cancer treatment more convenient and less scary, she said.
The center at Jordan Valley has its own entrance with designated parking. Patients are assigned a nurse coordinator to follow their treatment from diagnosis through post-recovery exams.
Available on site are a full range of services from biopsies and genetic testing to surgery, chemotherapy treatments and cosmetic breast reconstruction. Radiation therapy is coming soon along with, perhaps, pedicures, Story said. "Our objective with this spa-like atmosphere is to hard wire in women behaviors that are healthy."
Utah has the second lowest breast cancer screening rate in the United States. Though the state has lower rates of breast cancer relative to other states, it's still the leading cause of cancer death for Utah women.
Johnson's mammogram showed no irregularities and the mayor left the hospital with a clean bill of health.