Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the United States and in Georgia.
Every three minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Every 13 minutes a woman dies of breast cancer. One out of eight women will develop cancer during their lifetime. In Georgia, approximately 6,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and more than 1,000 women lose their lives to breast cancer annually. “The numbers are staggering but the good news is routine screening can prevent 15 to 30 percent of deaths from breast cancer among women 40 years old and up,” said Dawn Krahwinkel, Registered Nurse and Outreach Coordinator for BreasTest & More Program at Cobb & Douglas Public Health. “When diagnosed and treated at an early stage the five-year survival rate is 97 percent,” she said.
To help reduce the impact of breast and cervical cancer in Georgia, the Cobb & Douglas Public Health provides breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic services and referral to treatment as medically indicated to uninsured women residing in Georgia. Cobb & Douglas Public Health wants to remind all women to practice good breast health and encourage them to contact their doctors for an appointment. For those who cannot afford a physician, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) is available at the health department. The BCCP is designed to increase awareness of breast and cervical cancer and serve low income women who are uninsured or under-insured through screenings. The program provides clinical breast and pelvic exams, pap tests, mammogram referrals, and diagnostic services to eligible women between the ages of 40-64 years of age. For more information, please call 770-514-2314.
