With National Breast Cancer Awareness Month almost over, we wanted to highlight some of the great free mammogram programs that go on year-round. One great one is in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) offers free mammograms and Pap tests year-round for women who qualify. The mammograms are offered through the Sage Screening Program, a state and federally-funded program that provides free breast and cervical cancer screenings to uninsured and underinsured women age 40 and older. Newly enrolled women in the program will receive $20 for being screened.
MDH hopes to make more women in Minnesota aware of this free program. “We think there are many women in this part of the state who are not receiving these life-saving screening tests because they have no health insurance or their insurance has deductibles or co-payments they cannot meet. Sage can help,” said Jonathan Slater, chief of cancer control at MDH.
Sage has a network of nearly 450 local health care providers statewide, and has served over 126,000 women since 1991. Over 1,700 women have been diagnosed and treated for breast and cervical cancer through the Sage program.
This year, it is estimated that 3,520 Minnesotan women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 640 Minnesota women will die from the disease. Annual mammography has been reported to reduce breast cancer deaths in women age 40 and older by detecting the disease in its earliest stages when it is most easily treated.
Women seeking eligibility information about the free mammography program — or women who want to make an appointment for a free mammogram — should call Sage at (888) 6-HEALTH.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women receive an annual mammogram starting at age 40, obtain an annual clinical breast exam by a healthcare professional and perform monthly breast self-exams.Breast cancer is the disease many women fear the most, and early detection and treatment can dramatically improve a woman’s chances of survival. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. If detected early – and mammography is the best way to do that – the five-year survival rate for patients is more than 90 percent.
When are you getting your mammogram taken care of this year? Tell us about it in our discussion forum!
Related posts:
- Minnesota Department of Health Offers Free Mammograms Year-Round
- Free Mammograms and Pap Tests in Ohio in April
- Free Mammograms at the ANWA Basic Free Medical Clinic in Silver Springs, Maryland April 6th
- Free Mammograms in Michigan on November 10th… Call Now!
- Free Mammograms in North Carolina on April 25th
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