SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Intermountain Health hosted a free breast reconstruction awareness event today, Oct. 21, to celebrate breast cancer survivors in light of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Intermountain Health hoped that event participants might learn more about advances and options in reconstruction surgery.

The event, called “Closing the Loop on Breast Cancer,” was reportedly designed for breast cancer patients, survivors, and family members to meet other survivors and join with Intermountain Health clinicians to learn more about advances in breast reconstruction surgery and new treatment options.

Every year, almost 300,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed, according to Intermountain Health. That means women in the U.S. have a one in eight chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Studies have shown that more than 75% of women do not know all of the options available to them for reconstruction after a mastectomy or lumpectomy, according to Intermountain Health. Additionally, only 19% of women reportedly understand that the timing of their treatment for breast cancer and the timing of their decision to undergo reconstruction greatly impacts their options and results.

As part of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Intermountain Health worked to make it more convenient for women in Utah to undergo their annual mammogram screening. Intermountain Health’s Breast Care Center at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray opened for mammogram screenings every Saturday in October.

This was done so that women who are busy during the week could have more options, time, and flexibility to schedule and receive this potentially life-saving screening.

Eugene Kim, medical director of the Intermountain Health Breast Care Center, said she does not want women in the community to go without this screening.

“We want women to be healthy so they can be there for the people they care about and those who rely on them,” Kim said.