Free mammograms available Oct. 10 and 17 for uninsured women

UR Medicine Breast Imaging at Red Creek and at Strong West have teamed up with the Cancer Services Program of Monroe County to offer free mammograms to uninsured or underinsured women age 40 or older on Saturday, Oct. 10 in Henrietta and Saturday, Oct. 17 in Brockport.

On Oct. 10, free mammograms will be offered between 8 a.m. and noon at 500 Red Creek Drive, Suite 130, in Henrietta. To make an appointment, call (585) 487-3304. During this event, refreshments will be provided with help from volunteers of the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. Additionally, free parking will be available. Lack of transportation can often be a barrier for women, so, for those who need it, free transportation is offered. To learn more about this, ask when calling to make an appointment. 

On Oct. 17, free mammograms will be offered from 8 a.m. to noon at 156 West Ave. in Brockport. Refreshments will be served and each patient who schedules and comes in for her appointment will receive a small gift. To make an appointment for this location, please call (585) 224-3070.

Mammography can detect breast cancer that is too small to find by self-examination. In the last 30 years, mortality rates from breast cancer have decreased by about 30 percent, largely due the effectiveness of mammograms in finding breast cancer in early stages, when it’s less likely to be deadly.

“An annual screening mammogram is the best defense against breast cancer, a disease that impacts more than 223,000 women in the U.S. each year,” said Avice O’Connell, M.D., director of UR Medicine’s Women’s Imaging. “Getting screened annually could potentially be life-saving if it catches cancer early. Do it for yourself or do it for your loved ones.” 

While the free screening mammograms are available primarily for women over 40, women age 35 to 39 may get a free mammogram if it is their first one or if their doctor has recommended it.  Also, women who cannot make the Oct. 10 or 17 screening events can set up an appointment for a different day or time. Questions regarding eligibility or arranging an appointment for another day can be directed to the Cancer Services Program of Monroe County at (585) 224-3070.