Atrium Health Floyd Focuses on Importance of Mammograms
ROME, Ga., Oct. 20, 2023 – Truett's Chick-fil-A in Rome was again the site of activity before sunrise Friday morning as Atrium Health Floyd held its annual Pink Day celebration, which coincides with National Mammography Day, to stress the importance of getting an annual mammogram.
“I think this event serves as a reminder for Floyd, our community and for all of northwest Georgia about why mammograms are so important and the impact they can have on a person's life," said Aimee Griffin, vice president of professional services at Atrium Health Floyd and former director of The Breast Center at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center.
“This event is also a great time to reflect and to celebrate survivors and those who have passed on because of breast cancer," Griffin added.
Jill Mathis and her fellow educators from Pepperell Primary School were waiting outside the restaurant's door Friday morning at 5:52 a.m. before it was unlocked. A group from the school usually attends the event every year.
A big draw for the event are the complimentary Paper Doll magnets, which often end up on vehicles and refrigerators throughout the region. Breast health educators also attend to provide lifesaving information.
Mathis said she has attended the event for at least 8 years.
“The first year I was at Pepperell Primary they had a group that was already coming, so I started attending with them. This year I had a very good friend who passed away from breast cancer in January so I couldn't not come this time. I had to be here."
The Breast Center at Atrium Health Floyd opened 15 years ago in 2008, setting the standard for providing quality screening diagnostic care in a timely manner.
National and local leaders in breast health care recognize the center for its quality and commitment to patients. The center is also recognized for its Know in 24 promise, a pledge to provide same-day or next-day results for women who receive a mammogram.
The Breast Center also operates a Mobile Mammography Coach that is outfitted with a state-of-the-art, digital mammography machine and staffed by clinicians who are specially trained in screening mammography. It offers a unique advantage for those who need a mammogram but want to minimize lost work time because of travel requirements.
A second coach Mobile Mammography Coach will be located next year at Atrium Health Floyd's stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County. Using that location as a headquarters, the coach will make it more convenient for women in rural areas who need a mammogram.
About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd employs more than 3,5 00 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at three hospitals: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 304-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; as well as Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health – a freestanding 53-bed behavioral health facility in Rome – and also primary care and urgent care network locations throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health serves nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs nearly 150,000 team members across 67 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $5 billion in annual community benefits.