The Mississippi State Department of Health will be offering free breast cancer screening for uninsured and underinsured women in Jackson on Thursday.
Screenings will be available to women ages 21 to 64 at the Mississippi Trade Mart from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is part of the health agency’s push to bring more awareness and attention to breast cancer – a disease that kills around 400 women each year in Mississippi.
According to the MSDH, the Magnolia State has one of the highest breast cancer death rates in the U.S., yet more than one-quarter of women do not receive regular screenings that could save their lives. A woman can be diagnosed with breast cancer at any age, with statistics rising in demographics such as Black women and women who give birth after age 30.
“The Breast and Cervical Cancer Program is dedicated to the fight for screening and early detection to eradicate this disease,” Amy Gibbons with the MSDH said. “If someone you love needs a screening, do not hesitate to reach out and let us connect you with an enrolling provider in your area.”
The MSDH is also offering webinars through the rest of the month as part of its Beat It Webinar Series, which allows women to hear from physicians, advocates, and community leaders who are well-educated on prevention, diagnosis, screening, and treatments. Remaining dates are Oct. 23, Oct. 29, and Oct. 30.
