TAMPA, Fla. — The three words no one ever wants to hear. You have cancer.

“I do try to just present it in a very calm way, a very positive way…we found this thing, we’re not sure what it is,” said Sherri Jones, a mammography coordinator at Tampa General Hospital.

And for Jones, who has worked at the hospital for 25 years, it’s a conversation she has to have a lot.

“It is hard to put that into words but every woman is different and every face-to-face encounter is a little bit different,” said Jones.

More than 270,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the end of the year, according to the American Cancer Society.

And according to the Susan G. Komen organization, mammograms correctly identify 87 percent of women who have cancer.

That’s why unsung heroes like Jones are so important. They can help catch it early, before it progresses.

“Small breast cancers that we find on mammography are not symptomatic, so by the time you have a symptom, it’s probably been there for a long time. So the technology we have today is very, very detailed, we find the tiniest little specks,” said Jones.

But beyond that, it comes down to compassion in a time that can be scary.

She says she cares about these women as if they are her own friends and family, because it’s that connection that will help them stay on top of this potentially life saving procedure.

“It’s a relationship and I think women depend on it, and if they are comfortable with who is doing their mammogram, it’s more likely they will come back every year and not be afraid,” said Jones.

On Saturday, Jones will be participating in a virtual breast cancer walk with the group Strides Tampa, where all proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

If you would like to participate or donate, click here.