Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Cancer Screening Buses are returning to LaFayette on November 13. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT, qualifying women will have the chance to get free cancer screenings at the Chambers County Community Health and Wellness Center (CCCHWC) and hosted by Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness program (ABCCA).

The ABCCA, organized by the Alabama Department of Public Health, will be partnering with Quality of Life Health Screening, Operation Wipe Out and the CCCHWC on the event. The free program has been around for over 25 years, offering free mammograms and HPV pap. 

The CCCHWC is a center for addressing healthcare disparities in rural populations across the state. The project is a part of Auburn University’s Auburn Rural Health Outreach Project. The group is partnered with the Chambers County Commission and the city of LaFayette. 

At the center, residents receive clinical care from the onsite telehealth station, OnMed care, as well as healthcare screenings and resources through Auburn’s nursing program, speech/hearing pathology and other resources. 

The goal of the ABCCA is to help lower Alabama’s rates of breast and cervical cancer, which is one of the highest in the country. Chambers County has the highest rates of cervical cancer diagnoses and mortality in the state. 

According to Jaye, more than 700 Chambers County women from age 21 to 64 haven’t had a pap screening in three years. Of those, almost 700 women on Medicaid haven’t had the screening when they could.

Step one in reducing mortality rates among Chambers County women is developing relationships with them. That’s why Stephen Jaye, ABCCA health services administrator, and Linda Hayes, ABCCA outreach coordinator, have begun hosting screening bus events. 

They have also spent time in the local high schools, educating students and parents on vaccination. 

The next step is getting educational materials and other resources out to the community. 

Residents can also get free HPV vaccinations for ages 9 to 18 during the event as well. 

The event will serve women in the area from ages 40 to 64 with no insurance and a low income. They will be provided with screenings and treatment. Breast cancer screening will be offered to women over 40 years old who have not had a mammogram within the last year.

HPV/Pap testing will also be available for cervical cancer screenings will be offered for women between 21 and 64 years of age. 

Though walk-ins are accepted, you can schedule an appointment by calling 334-864-8659. For more information on eligibility, visit www.alabamapublichealth.gov/bandc.