Celebrating mothers throughout the month of May, The Loretto Hospital is offering free mammograms and DEXA (bone density) scans for uninsured or underinsured residents of Austin.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among all female populations in the U.S., and while incidence of breast cancer is comparable among Black and white women, Black women are 40% more likely to die from the disease than their white counterparts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
African American women are also 10% less likely to get bone density screening for osteoporosis, according to the National Council on Aging. As osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle, undiagnosed, it leaves women vulnerable to potentially debilitating fractures from a fall, or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing.
“Everyone deserves access to routine, quality healthcare,” Mary Rinder, Loretto’s director of diagnostics, said in a statement. “Early detection is vital, and The Loretto Hospital remains dedicated to ensuring every woman, regardless of race or insurance status, has access to potentially life-saving diagnostic screenings.”
To be eligible for the free screenings, patients must live within the following ZIP codes: 60651, 60644, 60707, 60639, 60635.
To qualify for the free screening mammogram, patients must be over 40, have not had a mammogram within the last year, and be experiencing no symptoms or issues. Please ask your provider for an order for the screening mammogram and/or Dexa scan.
For more information or to schedule a screening, call Loretto’s diagnostic imaging department at 833-TLH-LOVE.