Breast cancer screening saves lives
When to get a screening, and how to get help if you can’t afford one
Andrea was diagnosed with breast cancer and learned she would need surgery. It was a diagnosis nobody wants to hear. The good news was that the cancer was caught early, at stage two.
“The mammogram — because it was caught early — gave me a fighting chance to beat this,” Andrea said. “Had I waited one more year for this mammogram … this would have been a stage four and it would have spread to my chest cavity. And that wouldn’t have been a good prognosis.”
The five-year survival rate for breast cancer is over 98% if it’s found early. The rate drops to about 25% for cancers detected at late stage.
Getting screened is the best way to find breast cancer. Women who are 50 or older should get screened. Women who are 40 to 49 years old should talk to their health care provider about when to start screening and how often to get screened. Women with a family history of breast cancer should talk to their health care provider about their risk and when to start screening.
Washington state’s Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program (BCCHP) offers early detection and ongoing support
Andrea shares her story in this new video, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention produced with the BCCHP. The program provides free breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic tests, and ongoing support. It serves low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people across the state.
Around the time of her diagnosis, Andrea’s husband lost his job, along with their health insurance coverage. They could barely afford housing, much less medical bills.
“I think I was more worried about having to pay for this than having the breast cancer,” Andrea said.
Dawn, a BCCHP patient navigator with PeaceHealth, reached out to Andrea soon after her cancer diagnosis. She helped Andrea enroll in the state Medicaid program so she could get treatment.
“Dawn walked me through the process, and she just really gave me a lot of emotional support and assuring me that, you know, I wouldn’t have to worry about the financial part of this,” Andrea said.
Andrea received the surgery, radiation, and other treatments she needed. She is now cancer-free.
Learn more and connect
If you need a screening but can’t afford one, the BCCHP may be able to help. Learn more about the program and eligibility requirements on the BCCHP webpage.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a great time to learn more about breast cancer screening and spread the word. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and share our posts to help raise awareness.
More Information
Information in this blog changes rapidly. Sign up to be notified whenever we post new articles. For more information from the Washington State Department of Health, visit doh.wa.gov.
Questions about COVID-19? Visit our COVID-19 website to learn more about vaccines and booster doses, testing, WA Notify, and more. You can also contact the Department of Health call center at 1–800–525–0127 and press # from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, and 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday — Sunday and observed state holidays. Language assistance is available.
