DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues, Danville’s Christie Clinic is celebrating its new mammography machine. For Tara Hafner, the Clinical Services Manager and one of the women behind the project, the device hits close to home.

Earlier in 2023, Hafner, who had transitioned from an X-ray technician to a managerial position, found her professional and personal worlds colliding. She was diagnosed with Infiltrating Ductal Adenocarcinoma, a common form of breast cancer that accounts for roughly 80% of all cases.

It’s the most common type of breast cancer, making up about 80% of cases.

Hafner had no family history of breast cancer, and said it was “quite a surprise.”

With family support, surgery and regular check-ups, she’s now in remission and back to work. Not only in her office, but also as an advocate.

Since 2009, she has been pushing for a mammogram machine at Christie Clinic’s Danville office.

“We have a lot of patients who have difficulty traveling outside of Vermilion County, so trying to offer as many of the services here in town helps us with patient compliance,” she explained.

Now more than ever, she knows the importance of regular check-ups and wants to ensure others do too. After 16 years of working to bring a mammogram device to Danville, she is more than proud to see the idea in real life.

“I walked by the door and just couldn’t even hardly believe that it was really finally happening here,” she said with a smile.

The American Cancer Society recommends women start getting screenings at age 45. For questions regarding your mammogram screening at Christie Clinic, follow this link. For contact information, click here.