Published on January 20, 2023
Weld County, Colorado — Health officials are concerned that cancer deaths could rise in Colorado if women don’t get caught up on preventive cancer screenings, such as mammograms and Pap tests, which decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Weld County, the Women’s Wellness Connection (WWC) offers these life-saving tests for free to women who qualify.
The need is great: 1 in 3 women will get cancer in their lifetime, including 1 in 8 who will have invasive breast cancer. But finding it early makes it easier to treat and even prevent. Nearly all women can survive breast cancer and cervical cancer when it’s caught in the early stages.
“There are a lot of things that can cause women to get behind on their routine mammograms or Pap tests. Life gets hectic at times. Some women don’t have regular doctor appointments or health insurance,” said Cynthia Horn, Chief Nursing Officer at the Weld County Department of Public Health & Environment (WCDPHE), which is one of more than 100 clinics in Colorado that participate in the WWC program. “We urge all women to prioritize their health, to make sure they — and all the women they love — are getting their mammograms and Pap tests on time, because it really can become the difference between life and death.”
Women over 21 should begin getting checked for cervical cancer every 3 to 5 years with a Pap test (also called a Pap smear) and/or an HPV test. Women over 40 can get checked for breast cancer with a mammogram. Doctors recommend getting a mammogram every 1 to 2 years, depending on age.
January is cervical cancer awareness month and a great time to remind women in Weld County to be screened. The WWC program serves women ages 21–64 with no health insurance or limited insurance who are also on a limited budget. To find out more about WCDPHE’s Women’s Wellness Connection program, go to weldhealth.org or call 970-400-2400.