Free breast cancer screenings in Madison

Free breast exams, mammograms and other diagnostic health tests will be available for free to certain women at 22 clinics in Dane County.

“Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women and is the second most common cause of death from cancer,” Public Health Madison-Dane County Public Information Officer Jeff Golden said in a press release. “Although early diagnosis can help create better outcomes, access to screening can be limited among people with low incomes and who lack health insurance.”

The exams include diagnostic tests for both breast and cervical cancers, and can cover breast surgeries and biopsies in some cases. The nearest clinic to campus is the UW Health location at 20 South Park St., near the Park-Regent intersection, according to the PHMDC website, although that location does not offer mammography.  The Well Women program directs women to specific locations for specific needs. 

The Wisconsin Well Women Program is offering the exams primarily to women between ages 45 and 64 who have limited income and insurance, but the exams are also available to younger women who have breast cancer symptoms. Single women making less than $29,700 a year are eligible for the program, according to the PHMDC website on the program.

“It is important to know when to have your first mammogram and how often to be screened,” WWWP Coordinator Kari Sievert said. “Being able to talk with a doctor about your personal circumstances, risk factors and screening options can be life changing. This is a particularly important message for African-American women who tend to be screened and diagnosed less frequently than white women but who die from the disease more often.”

The program also offers members of the LGBTQ specific services, such as medical professionals with cultural competency training and LGBTQ-specific breast health education.

The program is funded through the Komen Treatment Access Fund from the Susan G. Komen foundation. The program has helped more than 600 women in years past, according to the release. 

UPDATE (Oct. 12, 4:31 p.m.): This article originally may have led some readers to believe the Park Street UW-Health location offers mammograms. It has been updated to reflect it does not.