October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To help ensure women in the Texas Panhandle have access to preventive care and screenings, the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Amarillo Breast Center of Excellence will offer free mammograms to women who qualify.

In 2010, the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health (LWBIWH) received a three-year, $1.67 million grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) and launched the Access to Breast Care for West Texas (ABC4WT) project. ABC4WT allows the institute to provide breast cancer screenings and preventative care to underserved populations throughout the Panhandle and South Plains regions.

In the first year, more than 360 women received screening mammograms. Nine of these women are currently under treatment for cancers that might have gone untreated, and 44 are enrolled in cancer prevention programs. ABC4WT allows the grant team to schedule screening mammograms on the spot.

It is critical that West Texas women are educated about ABC4WT. Residents can come to the following locations from 9 a.m. to noon to learn more and find out if they qualify:

• Oct. 8 Walmart, 4215 Canyon Dr.
• Oct. 15 Walmart, 3700 E. I-40
• Oct, 22 Walmart, 4610 S. Coulter Ave.
• Oct. 29 Walmart, 5730 W. Amarillo Blvd.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a Texas resident (top 26 counties) with proof of address
• Citizenship not considered
• Uninsured or underinsured
• Need a photo ID
• Income verification/proof of assistance

For more information about ABC4WT, contact Sharon Felts at (806) 356-4659 or sharon.felts@ttuhsc.edu.

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