ACG Detroit | Coffee & Connections: Women's Health/Project Breast Density

Shoshana Hallowell, MD FACS is a board certified minimally invasive & robotic general surgeon. She also specializes in breast, bariatric and trauma surgery. She practices at McLaren Lapeer Hospital where she treats, manages, and cures conditions ranging from hernias to cancers. Dr. Hallowell has been involved in breast cancer advocacy for several years leading many seminars and local fundraisers to spread breast cancer awareness. Dr. Hallowell became a breast cancer survivor in 2020 when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. She reports that experience has made her a better surgeon because she can now empathize with her patients on a deeper level.

Her experience as a breast cancer patient has changed her life perspective, reminding her to not take anything for granted and to act more vigorously when change is needed. That is why she formed Operation Breast Density in 2022 to create the change needed to promote accurate screening and risk assessment for women with dense breast tissue who are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. The mission of the nonprofit is to educate on breast density and provide access and financial assistance to supplemental imaging for high-risk women to complete their breast cancer screening. Operation Breast Density has already raised over $30,000 in its first year to financially assist women in need of supplemental imaging to complete their breast cancer screening. In addition, Operation Breast density has hosted 3 breast cancer screening symposiums since 2022 educating over 1000s of clinicians on breast density, how to risk stratify women for breast cancer and indications for supplemental imaging for high-risk women and women with dense breast. The goals of the nonprofit are to help save the lives of many more women by findings breast cancer diagnoses earlier and therefore increasing the overall survival rates of breast cancer.

Learn more about Operation Breast Density at www.operationbreastdensity.org