NH DHHS - October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Free Screenings Offered in New Hampshire to Eligible Women

Concord, NH – National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual campaign

organized by major breast cancer charities and other organizations to

increase awareness and to stress the importance of early detection. The Let

No Woman Be Overlooked Program at the New Hampshire Department of Health

and Human Services (DHHS) provides free breast and cervical cancer

screenings to women who meet recommended screening guidelines, live in New

Hampshire, are between the ages of 18 and 64, are uninsured or

underinsured, and have a limited income. The Let No Woman Be Overlooked

Program would like to remind all women that October is a great time to

schedule a mammogram. Since beginning screening services in 1997, the Let

No Woman Be Overlooked Program has enrolled more than 22,000 women.


“The earlier breast cancer is found, the easier the course of treatment and

more likely women are to have a good outcome,” said Dr. José Montero,

Director of Public Health at the New Hampshire Department of Health and

Human Services. “Women should talk with their health care provider to

schedule regular mammograms as appropriate for their risk.”


According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast

cancer is the most common cancer among adult women in the United States and

the second leading cause of death from cancer among women. Breast cancer

can be diagnosed early, when it is more likely curable. New Hampshire

breast cancer screening rates are one of the highest in the U.S. In 2010,

83.2% of women in the State over the age of 50 reported having a mammogram

within the past two years. That is a great achievement, as mammography can

detect breast cancer at an early stage, when treatment is most effective;

and consequently contributes to decline in mortality.


Many women are not aware that if they meet age and income criteria they can

receive FREE breast and cervical cancer screenings in New Hampshire through

the Let No Woman Be Overlooked Program. To determine if you or someone you

know is be eligible, please call 1-800-852-3345, x4931 or visit

www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdpc/bccp/index.htm