Breast & Cervical Cancer Program helps women get screenings for cancer
Breast and Cervical Cancer Program available all year long
October is the start of the holiday season! Halloween is near, and so is Breast Cancer Awareness. But we shouldn’t think about breast cancer just in October, when everything goes pink. We need to think about it all year long.
“It’s wonderful that so much attention is placed on preventing breast cancer in October,” said Julie Sizemore, RN, Women’s Health & BCCP Coordinator. “But we want people to know that our Breast and Cervical Cancer Program is available to women all year.”
The Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, or BCCP, is a state-wide program that provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and follow-up to low income, uninsured, or underinsured Georgia women. Breast cancer screening is available for women 40 to 64 years of age. Some younger women with symptoms of breast cancer may also qualify. Cervical cancer screening is available through the program to women 21 to 64.
Services provided by the Georgia Breast and Cervical Cancer Program include:
- Mammogram/Clinical breast exam
- Pap smear and HPV test
- Pelvic Exam
- Diagnostic services
- Patient navigation and referrals
- Genetic testing
- Be a Georgia resident who meets income requirements
- Be uninsured or underinsured
- Be between the ages of 40 to 64 for breast cancer services
- Be between the ages of 21 to 64 for cervical cancer services (if 65 and older, not enrolled in Medicare Part B)
According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. The five-year relative survival rate is more than 99% for breast cancer diagnosed at a localized stage, when treatment is typically more effective and less extensive. Advances in early detection and treatments have significantly increased breast cancer survival rates in recent years. As of January 2025, there are more than four million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
For more information on the BCCP, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/BCCP. For the health department in your county, call 833-337-1749 or visit www.westcentralhealthdistrict.com.
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