ROCKVILLE, Md. - In the wake of new federal recommendations to cut back on the number of mammograms women receive, breast cancer survivors are now speaking out against the advice. They're holding a day of protest in support of early detection, claiming it is key in fighting the disease.

Between 8 a.m. and 5: 30 p.m., cancer survivors are rallying outside of the Department of Health and Human Services, located at 540 Gaither Road in Rockville, Md., to express their outrage over the new mammogram standards.

This action comes after a government panel recommended that mammograms not begin until age 50 and then, women should get them only every other year.

Kimberly Booker, 42, is already fighting breast cancer.  She got the diagnosis roughly the same day new guidelines came out telling women to wait they didn't need a mammogram until age 50, and then to get one every other year.

"I couldn't have waited three months, let alone eight years," Booker said. " I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be here to raise my kids."

Booker is not alone. Susan Sonley was 40 when she was diagnosed, Peggy Robbins at 42. All three are all breast cancer survivors. They believe mammograms and self-exams saved their lives.

Robbins called the new guidelines a "giant step back. "

"... It's very frightening," Robbins added. "Of all the women who will not be going to have a mammogram now, they're looking for one more excuse not to get it."

Phillip Fought marched for his wife.

"One year she had a clean mammogram and the next year she had two tumors in her breast and every year that she waited it would have grown more," he said.

Cindy Pearson runs the National Women's Health Network, a group that agrees with the new guidelines.

"It's hard for us to believe because we've been exposed to this very powerful message for many, many years that early detection saves lives," Pearson said. "Unfortunately that message has been too simple."

Pearson says women need something better than mammograms and that the protesters' anger is misplaced. She believes it should be directed toward the funding groups who aren't providing better screening tools for breast cancer.

But Sara Fought's top priority remains getting women to ignore the recommendations and continue mammograms and self-exams just as they have been doing.

"If it's caught earlier, maybe somebody doesn't have to have a mastectomy, won't have to have chemotherapy," Fought said.

Some say the panel was influenced by insurance and poltics.

"It's about the beginning of rationing of care," said Dr. Peter Jokich, of the Rush University Medical Center. "I don't think it's about the individual health of women."

For the protesters, it's about health. They say, for now, mammograms are the best solution and self-exams are free and save lives.

"Give me a false positive," said Susan Sonley. "I've had cancer. I've been there. I know what it's like. So let's get it out there. Like my doctor said, 'The only good lump is in a jar.' I agree with him."

The demonstrators want other women to ignore the guidelines and the government to help undo the confusion they say the panel's caused nationwide.

'Read the report and continue to do what you've always done," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebilius.

Under the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' new guidelines, health experts are advising women to have their first cervical cancer screening at 21. It used to be either 21 or within three years of a woman's first sexual experience. It's also now recommended most women younger than 30 get cervical screens every other year rather than annually.

Some Republican lawmakers say these recommendations will be used by insurance companies to determine what should and should'nt be covered. But, those who disagree say " when it comes to health risk and women's health it should'nt be so much a matter of politics, it should be doing what's best for women."

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