Lefevers, a radiology technologist and coordinating mammographer at the Bill Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center, is among millions observing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But she is one of a few doing something to prevent it.

Lefevers has done more than post signs and display facts on Breast Cancer Awareness in the halls of Building 2 at the VA. She’s done more than just wear a white polo shirt adorned with a embroidered pink ribbon, symbolizing support of breast cancer awareness. Lefever has helped many women detect breast cancer by establishing mammography programs in area hospitals.

The VA technologist has helped to establish mammography programs at Lexington Memorial Hospital and the Salisbury VA Medical Center. Lefevers is also the only technologist who sits on the National Mammography Advisory Committee, a board which sets the standards for mammography units all over the country.

Lefevers said her first experience starting a mammography unit at Lexington Memorial exceeded expectations and encouraged her to continue that work.

“The requests for mammographies tripled before I left,” Lefevers said. “People were excited to have a facility in their area that offered mammographies. Before, they went to Charlotte or Winston-Salem for tests, which probably kept many women from even having tests done.”

Lefevers said her motivation for setting up her first program in Lexington was simple: “I had the job to do, so I did the best that I could do.”

In earlier years as a technologist, Lefevers saw many women board a mobile mammography unit that come rolling into various towns to provide tests for women. Lefevers said those women never learned the results of their tests and didn’t realize they were being overexposed to radiation because protection wasn’t used.

“Radiation never leaves you,” Lefevers said. “Those women were not being protected and were still not learning the results of their tests. But it was all that they had.”

Lefevers started her career at Rowan Memorial Hospital while she attained her radiology technology degree. She also became certified in diagnostic radiology, certified as a nuclear medicine technologist and registered in mammography.

Lefevers continued her role in mammography after seeing many women who had waited to have exams. Among the patients who displayed breast cancer symptoms, in most cases it was too late to do anything about the cancer they had lived with unknowingly for years.

But she continued, knowing there were others that should and could be reached. Lefevers worked hard to establish a program in Lexington and then in the Imaging Department at the Salisbury VA, hoping both efforts would be rewarded with detections that could save women’s lives.

And it has.

Lefevers said the rewarding part of her experience has been knowing her efforts gave one young woman a chance at a normal life.

“It’s very rewarding, being able to see a young person, whose life would have been changed drastically if it ( breast cancer) had not been detected at an early stage,” Lefevers said. “Knowing in this case, the cancer was removed and reconstructive surgery could be done so her life continued to be as normal as possible, makes the work worth it.”

Lefevers beams as she talks about the mammography department at the VA. Lefevers said each patient gets specialized attention. After their tests are taken, all three radiologists review the images, talk to patients the same day and, if there is a problem, they provide options.

“Patients get more than a second opinion, they get a third,” Lefevers said. “The radiologists here don’t want our patients to worry overnight.They take time with our patients. A lot of doctors don’t do that.”

Lefevers also helped to extend that service to VA employees, which brought her much acclaim among fellow staff members.

“This gives our female employees the opportunity to feel they have the time to come over and get a mammogram, when they ordinarily wouldn’t take time from work to go to a doctor’s office,” Lefevers said.

“It has worked well. We have found several positive mammography exams among our employees.Who knows, if they had waited too long,” she doesn’t finish her sentence because those cases probably hit closer to home. “It’s extra special to be able to provide them with this service. The patient and employee examinations have been very successful and rewarding.”

The mammography tech not only received cards, e-mails and thank-you cards for her dedication and work among patients and employees, but also won the VA Employee of the Year award in 1998.

The small office where the mammography equipment is housed is neat and tidy. The technologists’ certifications, as well as the department’s accreditations from the American College of Radiology and the Mammography Quality Standards Act, are placed on the wall for patients’ view. Even Lefever’s Employee of the Year honor is hung among them.

“I want people to know I do know what I’m doing and that I am qualified,” Lefevers said.

Lefevers and another technologist in the department, Rhonda Presson, both work hard to make patients feel comfortable taking the “dreaded” tests and attempt to eliminate any myths about the procedure.

“It doesn’t smash your breasts down like a pancake,” Presson said. “Women will feel a little discomfort, but I explain what I’m doing before I do it.”

The department has been successful and has provided many services to its patients including a process of introducing stereotactic needle biopsy of the breast, which in some cases might eliminate the need for general anesthesia and surgery.

Lefevers has to be forced to talk about her accomplishments. After some persuasion, she shares the details of her appointment on the National Mammography Advisory Committee.

The prestigious committee is a 14-member board of doctors, nurses and radiologists. The board inspects, sets policies, and sets the standards for quality inspections nationwide.

“I am honored to be a part of the committee,” Lefevers said.

Medical staff and individuals with mammogram questions or problems can talk to Lefevers personally via the National Mammography Help Line toll free at 1-888-492-7844.