(Image source: Twitter)

BY BRICE SANDER

Live tweeting a mammogram might seem a little odd, but not for someone who lives her life online.

Boing Boing founder and NPR contributor Xeni Jardin opted for an early mammogram after two of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Using the hashtag “myfirstmammo,” she shared the experience from start to finish.

She tweeted “I decided the experience of getting a mammogram would be less scary if I tweeted about it, mocked it, or turned it into a game.”

Jardin then went on to explain how she found her clinic via Yelp reviews…

…before announcing she was diagnosed with breast cancer three hours later.

Jardin joins an expanding list of media personalities sharing their breast cancer battles, a move BlissTree calls brave.

“Even if you’re not as ‘sharey’ as Xeni, I think you have to admit: It’s pretty inspiring … Just a few years ago, women like Xeni wouldn’t have openly discussed breast cancer screening with friends, and therefore would likely have caught their cancer far later in the game…”

On NBC’s Today Show, E! News anchor Giuliana Rancic explained why she and others battling the disease decide to do it publicly.

GIULIANA RANCIC: “It is very personal, but at the same time, it’s just the way we’ve chosen to live our life. We see it as an honor to be able to share our story and help people, and let them feel less alone.”

Jardin and Rancic are both well under 50 years old, the suggested age for a first mammogram. The Frisky says that’s a wake-up call for the 35 to 45 year age group.

“…a new study from the Radiological Society of North America found that among a group of more than 1,000 breast cancer patients in their 40s, 64 percent had no family history. Simply put, 50 is just not early enough for the average woman to start getting regular breast cancer screenings."

And Jezebel praises Jardin, encouraging her to continue sharing her story online.

“It remains to be seen whether or not Jardin will also tweet about her treatments and recovery process. But it seems like a good idea … It seems fitting that a tech expert would, in her own way, expose herself and the potential of social media at the same time.”