Montana Pharmacies to Distribute Bags Promoting Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings

October 15, 2007 -- Pharmacies are chipping in this October to help spread a statewide message about breast and cervical cancer, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) said Monday.

The message is direct: early detection and treatment saves lives.

To help celebrate National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 129 Montana pharmacies will distribute a total of 30,000 bags promoting the Montana Breast and Cervical Health Program (MBCHP) of DPHHS.

The bags feature the Montana American Indian Women’s Health Coalition logo on one side, and a cancer screening message on the other side that reads: ‘Your family’s health begins with you - let’s talk about free or low-cost mammograms and Pap tests.’

The public outreach effort is a partnership with the MBCHP and the Mountain Pacific Quality Health Foundation to increase the number of breast and cervical cancer screening services for uninsured women.

MBCHP health education specialist Stephanie Lang said the majority of women who are screened in the program learn about it through a friend, family member or medical service provider. “It is our hope that the information on the pharmacy bags is shared with women who may be eligible for the program,” she said.

The MBCHP provides comprehensive breast and cervical cancer screening coverage in all 56 Montana counties. The services include mammograms for eligible women ages 50 to 64 and Pap tests for eligible women ages 30 to 64. Since the program’s inception in 1996, approximately 55,000 of these procedures have been performed.

All women are at risk for breast cancer and the risk increases as women age. If cancer is detected early through mammograms and other cancer-screening exams, the chance for survival increases significantly.

Strategies to reduce the risk of breast cancer include eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, getting regular exercise, staying slim and not smoking. The MBCHP recommends that women who are 50 years of age and older receive yearly mammograms.

Mountain Pacific Quality Health Foundation pharmacy program manager Mark Eichler says the program really fills a void. “This is such an important program for uninsured women who may otherwise not seek cancer screening services without the assistance of the Montana Breast and Cervical Health Program,” he said.

The MBCHP is implemented through 13 administrative sites throughout Montana. To learn more about the program and to find your local site, women are encouraged to visit www.cancer.mt.gov or call the MBCHP toll free at 1-800-803-9343.

Source: Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services

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