2026: New Year, New Mammogram
For most of us, the year started when the ball dropped on January 1st. But for me, 2026 truly began at 3 PM on January 6 when my mammogram results came in.
I took a few deep breaths before opening up the MyChart app to read the report. The words inside had the power to change my year, and my life forever, as they did back in 2019.
It felt like I had the sword of Damocles hanging over my head. While I waited for those results, I was trapped. I couldn’t plan, vision, hope, or dream for good. I had plans for timing of biopsies and treatments, but not anything beyond breast cancer.
Opening the results was terrifying… because the words inside would determine the course of my year.
Thankfully, my mammogram was delightfully normal!
2 findings, both benign. Recommended screening again in one year.
Whew!
Living Between the Scans
January 2026 marks six and a half years since the abnormal mammogram found my DCIS and six years since I finished radiation.
And, like many of my fellow survivors, I find great joy in those times between the scans. The time in between feels full of hope, possibility, and time to live.
It had actually been a little over a year since my last breast imaging. Yes, I waited a bit longer than usual, but for good reason!
In December 2024, while my husband was undergoing radiation for his skin cancer, my ob-gyn felt something on an exam and referred me back to my breast surgeon.
The last thing I wanted to do in December 2024 was get my mammogram. I had it scheduled for February 2025, and this potential problem had moved up my screening.
I ended up getting an ultrasound and diagnostic mammogram in December 2024. Thankfully, it was normal.
So the question was: when would I do my next screening mammogram?
Timing is (almost) Everything
As I considered when I wanted to schedule my next annual mammogram (December 2025 or January 2026), I was careful to consider when I wanted to feel the scanxiety and deal with a possible diagnosis.
Additionally, my deductible resets on January 1. So, when would it make the most financial sense to begin another possible breast cancer treatment journey with all of its costs?
I decided to schedule the mammogram on the first Monday of the new year. I knew the holiday festivities would be over, and it would also give me a few weeks to handle any follow-up imaging before our vacation at the end of January!
So, I scheduled the mammogram, and also my follow-up with my breast surgeon a week later.
It was “almost” perfect.
The mammogram went fine. But the communication as to how long my results would take was another story.
How Long Would the Results Really Take?
No one could tell me the same answer. And the more I asked the question, the more I got different answers.
I got so many different answers to this question (anywhere from 48 hours to 17 business days??) that I stayed later to talk to the head of the radiology center.
It seemed like the overall theme was that either we don’t know or we don’t want you calling us to ask.
And yes, I really had personnel tell me that the reason they didn’t want to share the actual timeline was that if they didn’t meet it, patients might call to ask.
Insert Survivor Frustration:
Yes, that’s true. Because we care about those results, and it’s the center’s job to get those results to us so we can have the answers we need.
Give us the honest answers, please! Don’t pad the timeline so you don’t have to answer a few phone calls. Grr.
So, I ended up having a conversation with the head of the center, because I needed a straight answer to my question: Will my surgeon have the results in time for my appointment next week?
He assured me the results would be in so that the appointment could go on as scheduled, and that he would talk with the team about how to communicate the results timeline to patients in the future.
I left, feeling like I’d done all I could. And I was pretty sure he would ensure my mammogram was read in time. And, if it wasn’t, I would be the patient coming back on Friday asking questions.
Super Fast Results
I ended up only waiting 24 hours for my mammogram results! I have no idea if they were “fast-tracked” or not.
Regardless, it was amazing to receive the results so quickly after my mammogram! After reading this year’s report multiple times and relishing the benign and unremarkable results, I decided to review my post-DCIS imaging history.
I scrolled through my past several years of reports since DCIS, and except for one finding in 2022 that needed a biopsy and removal, I have been delightfully boring.
This feels like a miracle.
It has been 6.5 years since DCIS. I’m so grateful for the effective treatment I received and for my continued good health.
“Happy New Year, honey!” were the first words out of my mouth on January 7th, 2026. Dave was understandably confused. But to me, 2026 truly began when I could breathe a sigh of relief.
My mammogram was all clear.
Now it feels like a fresh and hopeful start to 2026!
When I was diagnosed, I wanted more than information — I wanted real support from fellow survivors who understood. That’s why I created Encourage: Breast Cancer & Beyond — a course and community designed to help you feel less alone and more confident in every step ahead.
Encourage includes video lessons from my book, a private community, and regular video support calls.
No subscriptions. Just a one-time payment of $147 for lasting support.
Jennifer Douglas
Jennifer Douglas is an author, patient advocate, and DCIS breast cancer survivor. After navigating her own breast cancer journey in 2019, she began writing and encouraging others who were newly diagnosed. Her resources include her book, "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living It One Step at a Time," and her online support course, "Encourage: Breast Cancer and Beyond." Jennifer also actively supports patients through her online presence and direct involvement in communities and support groups, offering guidance and encouragement every step of the way.
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