JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dr. Kathryn Pearson-Peyton knows all too well the devastating effects of breast cancer.
Not only is she known for her work as a well-respected radiologist in Jacksonville, but nearly every woman in her family has had breast cancer or died of it.
Her high probability of having breast cancer led her to the decision to have a bilateral mastectomy. She has since retired from medicine, but her professional and personal experience with breast cancer led her to start a nonprofit organization called Mammosphere.
Mammosphere is working to link all local breast cancer screening facilities by offering patients a secure cloud storage for mammogram images. Pearson-Peyton explains that it works like the cloud Apple uses to help its customers save their data.
With Mammosphere, patients can store all of the images of their mammogram exams in one place. This allows different doctors treating the patient to see all of her results without having to order more tests.
"With these prior exams, there is a 25 percent earlier detection of breast cancer," said Pearson-Peyton.
It also reduces health care costs so that extra tests that have already been done don't have to be repeated, she said.
Karin Dewan, a former patient of Pearson-Peyton, said when she was diagnosed with breast cancer it was stressful to have to worry about picking up each of her mammogram exam images, especially because she saw a doctor out of the state at one time. This can also delay getting timely appointments with doctors.
With Mammosphere, each doctor can access all of the exam images and results by computer.
Jacksonville is a pilot project that Pearson-Peyton hopes will soon be used across the country to help better detect breast cancer by catching it earlier. Anyone can register for Mammosphere by clicking here. Signup is free.