Américas Amigas strengthens the breast cancer diagnosis network
25% of the hospitals indicated by the program Fantástico for breast cancer treatment in the city of São Paulo received mammographs donated by Américas Amigas.

The TV show Fantástico, on TV Globo, started a new series presented by Dr. Drauzio Varella, which portrays breast cancer and its challenges. The series intends to clarify the stages of the disease from diagnosis to the final moment of treatment. To guide women, a list of reference hospitals for this purpose was also made available on the Internet. In São Paulo, 16 were indicated, of which 4 received mammography devices donated by Américas Amigas. Besides the capital city of São Paulo, hospitals in Barretos, Blumenau, Natal, Recife and Salvador, which are also beneficiaries of Américas Amigas, were also mentioned.

The list on Fantástico corroborates one of the premises of Amigaséricas Amigas: donate mammography devices to hospitals or health services that can provide the appropriate treatment to the woman in case the breast cancer diagnosis is confirmed.

"Américas Amigas fights so that all women have access to an accurate diagnosis, but also so that there is a fast referral in case it is necessary, because agility is important for a successful treatment. That is why it is an honor to see that 25% of the hospitals listed in São Paulo were contemplated with mammography devices donated by Amigas Americas", comments Francisca de Paula Harley, president of the entity.

In the series, Dráuzio Varella also points out that the quality of the diagnosis is one of the most important aspects to reduce the mortality rate of breast cancer, the 1st cause of mortality by disease among Brazilian women: "Mammography with normal result, when there is a malignant nodule that was not seen is the worst thing that can happen. This is one of the reasons why such a curable cancer still causes so many deaths".

The scenario presented by the doctor is also object of Américas Amigas constant fight. Therefore, besides donating equipment, the Association also promotes, in partnership with Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Avon and GE, the Mammography Improvement Courses. Offered free of charge to the radiologists technicians coming from the institutions beneficiaries of the Equipments Donation Program of Amigas Américas, the course provides a two weeks training with a radiologist physician specialist in breast, a biologist and a medical physicist - all trained by the Dutch institute LRBC - National Expert and Training Centre for Breast Cancer.

More recently Amigas Américas Amigas has broadened its Capacitation Program offering training also to the mammography services coordinators. Besides that, radiologists, who read the exams performed in the beneficiary institutions, have been trained in a program developed by Albert Einstein Hospital in partnership with the Ministry of Health.

Barão de Lucena Hospital - Recife
Santa Izabel Hospital - Salvador
CECAN - Liga Norte-Riograndense - Natal
Pio XII Foundation - Barretos
Santa Casa Central Hospital - São Paulo
Santa Marcelina Hospital
São Paulo Hospital/Unifesp
Vila Nova Cachoeirinha General Hospital
Santo Antônio Hospital - Blumenau