Statewide Program Offers FREE Mammograms to Eligible Women

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)-October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many physicians use this time to encourage women to get mammograms but what if you cannot afford one? There is a program in our state that can help.

When it comes to breast cancer, medical experts say early detection can increase survival chances tremendously. The Best Chance Network is designed to help women around the state do just that.

“It’s a grant funded program through the center of disease control and what it does is provide breast and cervical cancer screening services for women who may be uninsured, under-insured, or may have some other type of issue that may prevent them from being able to afford breast or cervical cancer screening services,” said Stephanie Hinton, director of DHEC’s Cancer Prevention Control Division.

With breast cancer being the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in women, the program aims to serve many South Carolinians.

“Annually, we usually estimate there are about a 100,00 women in South Carolina on it but annually our program typically screens about 12,000 women,” Hinton said.

You may qualify for the program if you are a woman living in South Carolina, in between the ages of 30 and 64, have a deductible or one thousand dollars or more, or meet certain income eligibility requirements.

If you feel you may be eligible, experts encourage you to reach out to DHEC.

“It’s very important for everyone to understand that getting screened and early detection is vital. We are definitely here to help and if you need any assistance, please reach out to us.”

There are more than 400 providers around the state who work with the network to offer screenings and follow ups. To learn more about the network, visit this webpage or call Cancer Prevention and Control Program at (803) 898-1615.