By Michelle Wilson
Special to The SUN
The San Juan Basin Health Department (SJBHD) urges women ages 40 years and older to talk with their doctors during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October about screening for breast cancer.
Women who can’t afford mammograms may be eligible for free screening from a local health care provider.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Colorado among females, killing more than 500 women annually. But when breast cancer is detected early, 98 percent of those diagnosed can survive. Likewise, when cervical cancer is diagnosed early, 96 percent of women survive.
Low-income women are less likely to have been screened for breast cancer. The Women’s Wellness Connection offers free breast and cervical cancer screening to low-income women in the southwest region aged 40 to 64 years. If cancer is detected while enrolled in the program, treatment resources are made available.
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