On-going Free Breast Cancer Screenings During the Month of October, at Centro de Salud Esperanza in Partnership with Saint Anthony Hospital
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to mark the occasion, Centro de Salud Esperanza in partnership with Saint Anthony Hospital, will provide Free Clinical Breast Exams. Esperanza and its partners are reaching out to Latina women with several key messages, most notably, the importance of early detection through annual mammography screening for women over 40. Centro de Salud Esperanza is located at 2001 S. California Avenue in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 5, 2005
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to mark the occasion, Centro de Salud Esperanza in partnership with Saint Anthony Hospital, will provide Free Clinical Breast Exams. Esperanza and its partners are reaching out to Latina women with several key messages, most notably, the importance of early detection through annual mammography screening for women over 40.
Centro de Salud Esperanza is located at 2001 S. California Avenue in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
"Mammography is an important tool for detecting breast cancer, said Rosemary Meganck, APN, CNM, Director of Women’s Services, Saint Anthony Hospital. Clinicians and women should discuss individual risk factors to determine when to have a first mammogram and how often to have them after that."
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. Mexican women have 30% poorer survival rates. 69.3 % of Hispanic women over 40, have received a mammogram over the past two years.
To obtain this screening, participants must be over the age of 40, uninsured and must have no symptoms or prior history of Breast disease. The on-going program kicks off in October and will accept up to 150 participants into the free program. Participants must make an appointment at Centro de Salud Esperanza for an initial evaluation. At Esperanza, they will receive a breast exam, and an assessment of their symptoms and risk factors. Their assessment will determine their eligibility to receive the free screening Mammogram and they will be directed to Saint Anthony Hospital. If follow-up is required, patients will be referred to Centro de Salud Esperanza, to discuss further services with on-site physicians. The entire Breast Cancer Screening is valued at $155.00.
“Our role is to educate women, especially Latina women, as we are serving a predominantly Mexican-American population, on many issues surrounding their health and well being. In most cases, many Latina women primarily care for their families first, and tend to care for their health as a minor matter, said Dr. Theo Sai, Medical Director, Centro de Salud Esperanza. We hope awareness will change that mindset.” he concludes.
Mammography screenings are a woman's best chance for detecting breast cancer early. They can significantly improve a woman's chances of survival. An estimated 216,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women this year, according to national statistics. Early detection is the key to successful treatment.
Some of the American Cancer Society guidelines include the following tips for getting a Mammogram:
1. Yearly Mammograms should start at the age of 40.
2. Use a facility that specializes in mammograms or that performs many each day.
3. If you are satisfied with the facility, continue to go there each year so that your mammograms can be compared from year to year.
4. Only two to four mammograms out of every 1,000 will lead to a cancer diagnosis. Ten percent of women may require additional mammograms, but only eight to ten percent of them will need a biopsy.
5. All mammogram facilities are required to send your results to you within 30 days and to contact you within five business days if there is a suspected problem.
For more information on Mammograms, please check out www. cancer. org or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.
To schedule an appointment for a free initial evaluation, please call Centro de Salud Esperanza at 773-584-6200, 2001 S. California Avenue, Chicago.
Centro de Salud Esperanza health center hours are:
*Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday - 8am-5pm
*Thursday – Noon – 8pm
*Saturday - 8am – 3pm
For more information on Saint Anthony Hospital, check out www. saintanthonyhospital. org or call 773-484-1000.
Editor’s Note: Saint Anthony Hospital is spelled out and not abbreviated. Saint Anthony Hospital is located at 2875 West 19th Street in Chicago.
For over 100 years, physicians and staff of Saint Anthony Hospital have provided medical care, social services, and community outreach programs to Chicago's underserved communities of Pilsen and Little Village. Today, Saint Anthony Hospital is known for its partnerships providing a full continuum of care from prevention and outreach to subspecialty services, to meet the needs of the community. Saint Anthony Hospital is the only Chicago area member of Ascension Health, the largest not-for-profit Catholic Health system in the United States.
Saint Anthony Hospital is a member of Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and nonprofit health system with more than 100,000 associates serving in 67 acute care hospitals and dozens of related facilities in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Consistent with its mission to serve all people with special attention to those who are poor and vulnerable, Ascension Health provides clinically excellent care with an emphasis on innovation and a focus on transforming the healthcare industry
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