(Memphis) In the middle of the make-up aisle, behind a wall of favorite fragrances, sits a little clinic at the Macy’s store in Oak Court Mall.
But there’s nothing little about what this clinic does, which is potentially saving lives.
For Joy Taylor, it wasn’t what she bought during a shopping trip, but what she found.
“I was just like you know I’ll go to Macy’s, get a mammogram and then just go shopping,” said Taylor.
It was at the women’s clinic that she walked in for an annual breast screening.
“No short-changing at all. It was professional. People who dealt with me were top-notch,” said Taylor.
A week later, she got the news.
“I got a call I needed to get a diagnostic mammogram, then to get an MRI. Last November 6th, of last year, I got the diagnosis,” said Taylor.
She had breast cancer.
It began a year of treatments, five surgeries, and 37 rounds of radiation.
The good news was the cancer was caught in its early stages when Taylor made a detour in her day.
“That’s what we are all about, catching it early so we can cure it,” said Beth Turner with Baptist Hospital’s Women’s Center.
She says said Macy’s in-store clinic is one of only a few around the country and it’s strategically located where women frequently visit.
They can walk-in for service or make an appointment, and the equipment is the same used at the main women’s center.
“It’s just a basic screening mammogram for those that are asymptomatic. If you have a lump or problems going on, you require a little more, but this is your basic screening mammogram that every women needs annually after they turn 40,” said Turner.
This clinic sees about a thousand patients a year — a thousand women who are taking the step to stay on top of their health.
It was a no-brainer for Taylor. She has lost family members to cancer and said she believes in annual screenings.
Now she is walking testimony of the difference it can make.
“This is just an avenue to make it convenient. Go on and get your mammogram and go on through the rest of your day,” said Taylor. “It doesn’t take long at all, but it can be a lifesaver for you.”
The Women’s Clinic at the Macy’s Oak Court Mall is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Walk-ins are welcome, or you can call 227-PINK to make an appointment.
