Breast and Cervical Cancer

Breast Cancer

• More women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer every year than with any other cancer except skin cancer.
• Breast cancer is the fifth leading cause of death among American women.
• The best defense against breast cancer is early detection.
• The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman.

• Get a mammogram every year starting at age 40.
• Do a breast self-exam every month starting at age 20.
• Get a clinical breast exam every year if you are age 40 or over and every 3 years for women age 20-39.

For more information please call 309-837-9951.

Cervical Cancer

• Risk Factors
• Early age of first intercourse
• A history of multiple sex partners
• Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) or other sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
• Smoking
• There are usually no symptoms
• The best defense against cervical cancer is early detection

• A Pap smear should be done yearly when a women first becomes sexually active or is 18 years of age or older.

For more information please call 309-837-9951.

Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program

Goal

To reduce breast and cervical cancer mortality within Illinois women by providing quality screening and diagnostic services which promote early detection of breast and cervical cancer.

Program

The Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (IBCCP) is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health. IBCCP was created to provide breast and cervical cancer screening and referrals to low-income, uninsured women. A woman is eligible if she lives in Illinois, does not have health insurance, is between the age of 40 and 64 for mammograms and breast exams and between 35 and 64 for pelvic exams and Pap tests, and has a limited income (but not on Medicaid). It offers free mammograms, breast exams, pelvic exams and Pap tests to eligible women. The program sets up appointments for women with local doctors or hospitals. If a woman enrolled in IBCCP is diagnosed with cancer through the program’s screening and tests, she is eligible to receive treatment benefits through the state’s Medicaid system.

IBCCP reduces breast and cervical cancer mortality by providing quality screening and diagnostic services that promote early detection. Fulton-McDonough-Hancock-Schuyler County Breast and Cervical Cancer Consortium. The consortium meets several times per year. The consortium is set up so that a client can participate in IBCCP at one county health department and go to a doctor for the services in any of the other counties. IBCCP services are the same at all four counties.

For more information about the program or to find out if you are eligible call 309-837-9951.

Susan G. Komen Mammogram Scholarship Program

The Susan G. Komen grant provides funding for the health department to provide free mammograms to women who qualify by age (35-50) and income (same guidelines as IBCCP). Younger women may qualify as well if a doctor orders the mammogram and if they have an abnormal breast exam. Young women must also have a very strong family or self-history of breast cancer.  The Komen grant provides a means of early detection among women who otherwise may never be able to afford a mammogram.

For more information about the program or to find out if you are eligible call 309-837-9951.