Utah Grandma: Early Mammogram Saved My Life

A grandmother of 18 wants Utah women to know that a 10-minute mammogram might save their lives.

Vickie King knows firsthand what happens when cancer goes undetected. Her mother never went for regular screenings and died at just 40 years old after breast cancer spread to her lungs.

That loss motivated King to stay vigilant about her own health. Seven years ago, a routine mammogram in Payson, Utah found something she never would have discovered on her own.

Doctors detected calcifications, not the lumps most people associate with breast cancer. King was diagnosed in 2019 and immediately began treatment.

"I know they typically are looking for lumps," King said. "But patients won't feel it, and that's why it's so important to get those annual screenings."

King underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy. After her second treatment, she lost her hair. The support of her family and community carried her through the hardest days.

Today, King is seven years cancer-free. She's a wife, mother, grandmother of 18, and great-grandmother of five who treasures every moment with her family.

Why This Inspires

King's story highlights a critical gap in Utah's healthcare. Only 63.8% of Utah women age 40 and older reported having a mammogram within the previous two years in 2022, ranking the state 44th nationally.

For women in rural areas across central Utah, access can be challenging. But screening doesn't have to be complicated. Many clinics don't require a doctor's order, and the actual mammogram takes 10 minutes or less.

Amy Dalton, marketing director for Solis Mammography in Payson, sees women travel from Price, Delta, Genola, and Goshen for screenings. The clinic serves communities across central Utah where healthcare access can be limited.

King's message to other women is simple and heartfelt. "Early detection, it is so, so, so important," she said. "If not for you and your health, for your families. They want you here."

That routine mammogram gave King something priceless: time with the people she loves most.