UnityPoint Health® Nurse Practitioner Certified as MammaCare Clinical Breast Examiner Will Supplement High Risk Breast Cancer Screenings

UnityPoint Health® is proud to announce Lori Farris, APN is now certified as a MammaCare Clinical Breast Examiner to identify the difference between normal breast tissue texture and lumps or tissue thickening. Farris will provide clinical exams and education for patients receiving care through UnityPoint Health’s High-Risk Breast Clinic. MammaCare certification is a recognized standard for performing and teaching clinical breast examinations.

“We’re excited to offer our High-Risk Breast Clinic patients extensive breast health screenings and education. Early breast cancer detection results in better treatment outcomes. Mammograms are an important resource for our patients, but clinical breast exams are crucial to help detect any tumors or breast tissue changes in between mammogram screenings. Lori’s extensive experience in the field and new certification will provide patients with accurate clinical breast exams and empower our patients to perform self-exams,” says Anne Bowman, Director of Oncology.

The MammaCare Foundation was developed by the US National Cancer Institute and National Science Foundation to support the early detection of small breast cancer tumors. MammaCare training is based on exercising the sense of touch versus educating healthcare professionals through video or written material.

“Our care is curated and customized for each patient’s unique need. But encouraging our patients to learn and know the normal look and feel of their breasts is universal among our patients,” Bowman says.

Farris is board certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and is an Illinois licensed Trauma Nurse Specialist.

“Having the MammaCare certification means I can add additional skills to my years of experience to give our patients the best possible care and outcome. It gives me the opportunity to provide my patients with accurate clinical breast exams capable of detecting breast lesions as well as extensive breast education and personalized cancer reduction strategies,” Farris says.

Lumps or visual changes on the breasts such as redness, swelling, puckering or dimpling, vein changes, and excessive or bloody nipple discharge should be brought to medical attention even if a recent mammogram was normal.

Learn more about UnityPoint Health’s Breast Health Center.