Hospital to offer free breast cancer screenings for underinsured, uninsured

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Roper St. Francis Healthcare plans to offer free breast cancer screenings on Oct. 6.

The screenings will be performed at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. that afternoon.

To qualify, participants must be 18 or older and have not had a breast exam in the last 12 months. If the participant meets the American College of Radiology guidelines for a mammogram, one will be done that day, Roper St. Francis Healthcare spokesman Robert Briggs said.

Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Philip Albaneze said one in eight women will develop breast cancer, and more than 325,000 are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.

The greatest weapon is early detection.

“We are providing an opportunity to reach out to the community to provide an important service,” Albaneze said. For those who believe they are not at risk, “breast cancer comes up whether or not you have a family history.”

Registration is required for the screenings. To register, call 843-402-CARE or visit rsfh.com/cancer-classes. Participants must wear a mask and adhere to current COVID-19 and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the American Cancer Society says a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States every two minutes.

Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.