Last Updated: October 22, 2024
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
RICHMOND, Va. – In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) encourage women 25 years of age and older to talk with their health care provider about their risk for developing breast cancer and women 40 and older get regular breast screenings.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month devoted to educating people about breast cancer — including metastatic breast cancer (MBC) — and the importance of early detection and access to timely, high-quality care.
“Breast cancer screening helps find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Director Elaine Perry, M.D. “We encourage people to talk to their health care provider about which breast cancer screening tests are right for them.”
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends breast cancer screening start at age 40 and continue every two years until age 74 to better serve younger women. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, data from 2015 to 2019 in the U.S. show a 2% increase in breast cancer diagnoses per year among women in their 40s. In 2023, an estimated 43,170 women died of breast cancer. Non-Hispanic White women have the highest incidence of breast cancer and non-Hispanic Black women have the highest mortality rate from breast cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute’s State Cancer Profile, the rate of new cases of breast cancer in Virginia rose slightly between 2017 and 2021. The rate in Richmond was similar to the rate in Virginia. The rate in Henrico was somewhat higher than the rate in Virginia.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers this tool, which allows people to search for mammography providers by zip code. People can visit rhhd.gov/connect-pc to locate primary care providers in the Richmond and Henrico area.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) offers Every Woman’s Life (EWL), a public health program that helps uninsured, income-eligible women gain access to free breast and cervical cancer screening services. Screening and early detection reduce death rates, improve treatment options, and greatly increase rates of survival.
To be eligible for EWL, a woman must be a Virginia resident between the ages of 18-64, meet federal income guidelines and be uninsured. Women 18-39 must be symptomatic or be determined to be high risk for breast and/or cervical cancer to be eligible.
The EWL program provides a clinical breast exam, mammogram, pelvic exam, Pap test, and any diagnostic test required to reach a final diagnosis. If a woman enrolled in EWL is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer she may be eligible for Medicaid to pay for treatment. People can use this link to find a EWL provider near them.
Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) are sister public health agencies serving our connected communities. Our mission is to protect health, champion equity, and partner to address local needs.
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