September 27, 2012
Recently, the Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) received a $20,000 grant from the Mary Washington Hospital Community Service Fund for its “Every Woman’s Life” (EWL) program. EWL is a public health program that helps uninsured, low income women gain access to free breast and cervical cancer screening services. Screening and early detection reduces death rates, improves treatment options, and greatly increases survival. At some sites where EWL services are offered, women can also be screened for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose and also learn how to become more physically active, eat healthier foods, and stop smoking. Last year, 317 women were screened in the Rappahannock Area Health District for breast and cervical cancer.
The program is subsidized through Federal and State grants, and provides essential breast and cervical cancer screenings to women who otherwise could not afford it. The grant provides for additional screenings, as well as funding for a designated outreach worker who makes the public more aware of the program, thereby increasing the number of potential screenings that could save someone’s life.
To find your nearest screening location, call EWL’s toll free referral line at 1-866-EWL-4YOU (1-866-395-4968) or 804-864-8204 (outside Virginia).