Dallas woman says persistent mammogram staff likely saved her life

DALLAS - A West Dallas woman is credited a Parkland community breast cancer screening for saving her life.

She’s sharing her story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in hopes more lives will be saved.

Breast Cancer Diagnosis

The backstory:

Ann Harrington thought she was too busy to get her mammogram at Parkland’s mobile unit in 2022.

But it turns out the appointment was one thing on her to-do list that truly couldn’t wait.

"I was ready to go on a family vacation. And I was planning on missing my mammogram appointment," she explained.

Harrington, who was 45 years old at the time, had no symptoms of breast cancer and all her previous screenings had been clear.

But Parkland Community Development Specialist Jeff Howard saw that she was a no-show and encouraged her to stop by the mobile clinic while it was in West Dallas. With no insurance, he recognized that her access to the free screening was important.

"Right away, we get on the phone and, ‘Alright, Ann, where are you? Why aren't you here? We need you.’ And so she said, ‘Well, I've got a lot of running around to do. I'm going out of town. Got some things I need to do,’" he said.

Howard recalled telling Harrington he would save her a spot and try to get her right in if she agreed to come in.

Turns out, that screening was likely the difference between life and death for Harrington. It detected an abnormality, and a biopsy confirmed Harrington had Stage 1 triple negative breast cancer, which is an aggressive form of breast cancer.

What they're saying:

Doctors said Harrington likely wouldn’t be alive today if she had missed her appointment.

"The way it was moving, the doctor said I would have been probably, you know, dead within three months," she said.

"I really went through a series of emotions when I found out, but I was grateful that we were able to offer an event in the community," Howard said. "I think when my career ends, this is one of the top three things that I'll be able to look back at."

Aida Domingues, a mammogram educator, hopes that Harrington’s story encourages others to get their screenings annually and not to skip appointments.

"I hope they can take her story and be like, okay, for 10 minutes of getting this mammogram done, it could ultimately save my life. We are mothers, we are daughters, we have friends and family that want us to be around for a long time," added Joyanna Carlisle, a mammogram technologist.

Big picture view:

Harrington underwent treatment and counseling services at the Moody Center for Breast Health at Parkland. She’s now cancer free.

The American Cancer Society said when breast cancer is diagnosed at an early localized stage, the survival rate over 5 years is 92%.

Visit the Parkland Mobile Mammography Unit website for information on upcoming mammogram opportunities and how to schedule an appointment. Women who live in Dallas County, are 40 to 74 years old, and have not had a mammogram in the last 12 months are eligible to schedule appointments by calling 214-266-3333.