While breast self-exam apps are nothing new, the Keep A Breast app is the first to have an integrated telehealth component thanks to a partnership with Carbon Health. The goal, the foundation says, is to help turn fear and uncertainty into action.
“We wanted to be able to bridge that gap to give people access to healthcare as soon as possible,” Shaney jo Darden, founder of the Keep A Breast Foundation, tells Verywell, acknowledging that finding a breast lump is “such a scary moment.”
According to Darden, the Carbon Health physicians are particularly well-versed in women’s health issues. They’ll be able to assist with any necessary next steps, such as writing referrals for imaging like mammograms or ultrasounds. While the Keep A Breast app itself is free, a consult with Carbon Health will be billed towards insurance. For those without insurance, a visit will cost $69.
Why Breast Cancer Screening Matters For Young People
Darden created the Keep A Breast Foundation 20 years ago after losing a friend to breast cancer at 33 years old. Her goal: to raise awareness about breast cancer in young people.
“Everything I researched was for older women and seemed so proper," she says. “There wasn’t anyone at that time who was talking about early detection. They were only taking about a cure or drug research.”
According to Aashini Master, DO, a board-certified oncologist at UCLA Health and Keep A Breast Foundation advisor, early detection has huge benefits.
“Quite simply, the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the higher the chance of a cure,” she tells Verywell.
The Breast Self-Exam: Simple, But Powerful
Forty percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer first discover a lump or abnormality either by accident or through a doctor’s examination. The Keep A Breast app walks users through a simple, illustrated, five-step process to make finding a lump less of a surprise.
“Each woman’s breasts are different and undergo changes throughout the month related to hormones,” Master says. “It is important for women to know what is normal for them so they can know when something is abnormal. I typically educate my patients to contact me if they feel a firm mass that does not resolve on its own within two weeks.”
The app encourages users to perform their monthly breast self-exam a week after the end of their menstrual period to account for any changes that are purely hormonal.
“It is important to remember that the risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women remains rare, so most breast lumps are overwhelmingly benign," Master says.
Still, Darden says you shouldn’t dismiss concerns just because you’re young.
“It’s your health and it’s your body. You have the right to all the information and options out there,” she says. “If you feel that something isn’t right, trust your intuition and don’t let it slide.”
