Dear Ann Landers,
n the morning of my mammogram last Au-gust, I opened the paper to your column. The first letter was from a woman who had breast pain and was told not to worry about it because painful lumps were not cancerous. The writer found out later that her painful lump was indeed cancer. I, too, was having breast pain, although I could feel no lump. My doctor had recommended that I get a mammogram when I turned 35. Because of the pain, I scheduled the mammogram a month before my 35th birthday. My mammogram showed a suspicious area too small to be felt. It was biopsied, and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Although the tumor was very small, the cancer had spread to two of my lymph nodes. I've since had a mastectomy and am now taking chemotherapy. I have read many articles saying that mammograms have little or no benefit to women under 35. My personal experience has shown this to be untrue. If I had waited until I was older, it could have been a fatal mistake. I was fortunate to have had pain to clue me in that something was wrong. I wonder how many women have breast cancer at a young age and have no idea it is there. I feel certain that the mammogram saved my life. Please tell your readers that mammograms can benefit them even if they are under 35. Breast pain or lumps should never be ignored no matter what the age. Sign me

Dear Alabama,
Many thanks for a letter that is sure to save lives. Among my millions of readers, several will surely follow your advice and, by so doing, live to a ripe old age.