I was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer when I was only 31 years of age. If I hadn't exhibited any symptoms, my disease could have continued to progress unnoticed, gravely endangering my life further, since current policies state that the minimum age to begin mammogram screenings is 40.

Such policies, though standard, can potentially have disastrous impacts on the health and survival of younger women, like myself, who fall prey to this devastating disease. Breast cancer doesn't check your age before striking; it's an indiscriminate disease that can affect women (and men) of all ages.

According to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. In fact, in 2020, an estimated 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 died from it. Many of these cases were detected too late for effective treatment, simply because there was a lack of early detection, including mammogram screenings (source: World Health Organization).

Policies that delay potentially life-saving detection procedures, such as mammograms, only serve to exacerbate this issue, rendering many helpless in the face of a disease that is otherwise treatable when detected early.

We must act to revise insurance policies and screening guidelines to reduce the age at which mammogram screenings can begin. This would provide a fighting chance for those who may, unfortunately, be cursed with early-onset breast cancer.

Ensure that our voices are heard. Join me in urging lawmakers and insurance companies to reduce the minimum age for mammograms and improve coverage. It's time to fight back against untimely breast cancer. Sign the petition.