Atlantic, IA —Cass County Public Health’s Care for Yourself Program is celebrating Breast Cancer month by raising awareness of resources available to women in Cass County and Southwest Iowa.The Care for Yourself program is part of the National and State Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program that helps reduce risks from breast and cervical cancer by offering free or low-cost cancer screenings to eligible individuals throughout the state of Iowa.

Victoria Means, Care for Yourself Program Coordinator, says “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is nearly1 in 8 and every year over 2,000 women in Iowa are diagnosed with breast cancer.” Mean says also, “Just being a woman and growing older increases your risk, but having regular mammograms, in conjunction with breast self-exams and clinical exams, are critical for early diagnosis.”

The Care for Yourself program is a statewide program and can assist women from all of Iowa’s99 counties. Means says “We are able to assist women from any county in Iowa. Women who otherwise might not have access to life saving preventative care, could through the Care for Yourself program and many are able to see their regular primary care provider.”

Those interested in learning more about the Care for Yourself Program can contact Victoria Means, at Cass County Public Health, 712-243-7443.