Hope's Law of South Carolina

SOUTH CAROLINA Governor Ushers in Breast Density Reporting Law #27

Hope’s Law:  Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina Signs Density Reporting Legislation in Honor and Memory of Hope Gelting/Twenty-Seventh State Law in U.S. 

The impact of Dense Breast Tissue on missed, delayed and advanced stage breast cancer was brought to Senator Lourie from his constituent Hope Gelting after her 7cm  cancer was invisible on her annual mammography screening in 2011, despite being a consumer of mammography screening for a decade.  The Density Reporting Bill, S 339, signed and effective today, is in memory of Hope, a Columbia SC resident. It was only at the time of her diagnosis was it revealed to her that her dense breast tissue masked her cancer for years. Her cancer was elusive until palpable and at an advanced stage 3C.  Hope’s desire was to ensure that dense breast tissue is disclosed to South Carolina women BEFORE the likelihood of an advanced-stage breast cancer.  Tragically, Hope’s cancer metastasized within a few years and she passed away on June 21, 2014. 

“Hope Gelting was a courageous woman,  who through her own experience with breast cancer, worked hard to ensure that in the future woman will be more educated about the risks associated with Dense breast tissue.  I am pleased to see this law move forward and believe that lives will be saved because of her efforts, " asserts Senator Joel Lourie, champion of Hope's Law.  

Hope’s brothers and mom, Rick and Matt Ludeman and Mary Catherine Carroll, commented on today’s landmark bill enactment, “Hope was a determined advocate for this legislation and worked passionately to move it forward even as her illness began to make everyday life difficult. She would have been honored to be associated with this new law and elated by the positive impact it will have on so many lives in the future. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Senator Lourie as well as the tireless efforts of the many dedicated friends and supporters who contributed to this success.”

"Hope's desire was to give South Carolina women with dense breast tissue an opportunity for an early diagnosis through multi-modal screening. Her unselfish advocacy will empower patients with critical breast health information to improve personalized screening decisions, " reports Dr. Nancy Cappello.  "Furthermore, more woman in South Carolina will have access to an early cancer diagnosis because of Hope's Law." 

The first State Density Reporting Law was enacted in Connecticut in 2009.                                                                                                                                                                                   

Twenty-Seven Density Reporting States:  

Connecticut (2009), Texas (2011), Virginia, New York, California (2012), Tennessee, Hawaii, Maryland, Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (2013), Ohio, Missouri, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Arizona, New Jersey (2014) Louisiana, Delaware, North Dakota, Michigan (2015), Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina (2016)