ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - A long time program that provides free cancer screening has expanded, and is holding some screenings this coming weekend.
For 25 years, the initiative has helped women over 40 and men over 50 in Monroe County who don't have health insurance to get screened for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer.
Now, the Cancer Services Program of the Finger Lakes Region offers the free screening for uninsured residents of Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, and Yates Counties as well.
Program manager Willie Robinson says they try to make it easier for people who have to work during the week.
This coming Saturday is the first in a series of four weekend breast cancer screening clinics in Rochester. There may be more scheduled later in the year.
If patients undergoing the screening get a positive result, the program will help them enroll in Medicaid cancer treatment.
"We try to help relieve some of those fears of, 'Okay, if something is found, what do I do next?', Robinson explained. “We're here to help folks all through the process."
The program is funded through the New York State Department of Health. Over 214 area health care providers are partners in the effort region-wide.
According to the U.S. Census, in 2017, 8.8 percent of Americans did not have health insurance at any point during that year.
So far, there are five Saturday breast cancer screenings for uninsured women over 40:
- Saturday, February 9 (8:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.) at Rochester Regional Health OB/GYN and Imaging, 214 Alexander St., Suite 1000.
- Saturday, April 6 (8 a.m. to noon ) at Borg and Ide Imaging, Clinton Crossings, 995 Senator Keating Blvd., Building E, Suite 100.
- Saturday, May 11 (7:30 to 11 a.m.) at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care, 170 Sawgrass Dr.
- Saturday, May 18 (8 a.m. to 11 a.m.) at UR Medicine Breast Imaging, 500 Red Creek Dr., Suite 130.
- Saturday, June 8 (8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.) at Rochester Regional Health OB/GYN and Imaging, Bay Creek 200 Empire Blvd. Suite 120.