Forsyth County funds program to provide free breast and cervical cancer screenings

Forsyth County is funding a program to provide free cancer screenings for low-income women. 

On Thursday, the county board of commissioners allocated $79,100 to the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening program. That money, plus a $35,900 grant from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, will fund mammograms, chest X-rays and other diagnostic services for 120 women. 

“Most of these women are referred to us from outside providers," said Nursing Program Manager Erin Sheldon. "A lot of our free clinics in our community refer women, but also if we have someone who we identify in our family planning program, then they also become eligible to take advantage of those services.”

To qualify, women must earn less than 250% of the federal poverty level – that’s about $37,000 per year for a single person. 

The services will be provided by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.