SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Every October, breast cancer awareness month is observed across the country, a time to educate the community and promote early detection. Springfield College hosts Fresh Check Day for students’ mental health The American Cancer Society reports that breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers in women in the United States and being aware of the symptoms is one way to detect the disease. When it comes to detecting breast cancer Dr. Jennifer Hadro with Baystate Health says people should become aware of their own risk factors. That includes checking for dense tissue, knowing the family history of the disease, or genetic predisposition. Hadro told 22News that patients should have conversations with their primary care doctor and get a mammogram to keep up with their breast health. She says that breast cancer can impact anyone of all ages and races but black women are more at risk. "Black women tend to develop more aggressive breast cancer and present at later stages of the disease by the time it is discovered," she says. "They also experience more deaths due to breast cancer compared to similarly aged white women." According to ACS, breast cancer mainly occurs in middle-aged and older women. The median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is 62. When it comes to early detection you want to make sure that you get a mammogram every 2 years starting at age 40. Local News Headlines Enfield police seek information on hit-and-run incident at Yarde Tavern Local lawmakers hold ‘Yes on 4’ press conference 4th annual ‘Vax Week’ at all Big Y locations Postal workers held “Day of Action” rallies in Springfield WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.