FARMINGTON – The Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center now has advanced technology for breast cancer screening and diagnosis thanks to support from the Webber family.
In 2004, family and friends of Martha Beck Webber pledged $100,000 to create an endowed fund to support Franklin Memorial Hospital’s then new breast care center that named the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center, in memory of Peter Webber’s late wife.
Over the years through successful fundraising the endowment grew to more than $1.3 million. As a result the Webber family authorized FMH to use a portion of these funds, along with a capital investment from the hospital, to replace the mammography units and the stereotactic needle biopsy unit.
The center now has digital breast tomography, also known as 3D mammography. This technology takes images of the breast from many angles, making a layered 3-dimensional image that allows the radiologist to look at the breast, one thin image at a time, improving cancer detection rates, especially for more invasive cancers. This technology also results in a decrease in callbacks for more images.
The new 3D stereotactic needle biopsy system, designed with improved patient comfort, allows the surgeon to locate and biopsy very small or subtle areas that appeared suspicious on the mammogram, with a radiation dose less than the previous unit. Most women can resume their normal activities the same day as the procedure.
“Our family is committed to supporting the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center to provide the highest level of quality breast health care to patients in our community,” said Peter Webber. “Part of that commitment is assuring that the technology used is state of the art so that patients can be evaluated and diagnosed with the highest level of accuracy and efficiency close to home. I wish to thank everyone who through the years has supported the center and helped make this upgrade possible.”
The Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center, with locations in Farmington and Livermore Falls, offers timely access to screening and diagnostic, clinical, and care support services by a multi-disciplinary team of providers. Digital mammograms are performed with advanced equipment and a board-certified radiologist interprets each exam. A care support nurse is available to personally guide each patient through the screening, diagnosis, and if necessary, the treatment process.
In October 2017, the National Consortium of Breast Centers recognized the Martha B. Webber Breast Care Center as a Certified Quality Breast Center of Excellence, the highest level attainable in the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program.
