When Leslie Bartlett’s doctor discovered a lump in her breast during an exam in July of 2011, she wasn’t particularly concerned.

She’d had lumps in her breasts throughout her life because she was prone to cysts, but they would come and go and she didn’t think scheduling a mammogram was urgent. Plus, she was getting ready for a big move from her home in Juneau, Alaska, to Waynesville, North Carolina and doctor’s appointments were not first on her list of priorities.

By the time fall rolled around, Bartlett had settled into her new home with her husband, David, and she realized she still hadn’t gotten that lump checked out.

“I’m thinking, ‘I really need to get that mammogram,’” she said.

The diagnosis

After having a difficult time finding a doctor who was accepting new patients, Bartlett ...