CHICAGO – With National Mammography Day approaching on October 21st, the Illinois Department of Public Health is urging women who have delayed breast cancer screenings due to the COVID-19 pandemic to take action and schedule an exam now. The National Cancer Institute has said that an estimated 9.4 million screening tests that normally would have taken place in 2020 did not happen because of the pandemic. IDPH reminds the public that the department’s Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program offers free breast exams and mammograms to uninsured and underinsured women. The program also supports diagnostic services and assists with referrals for treatment options.
“Breast cancer is a tragic disease—taking the lives of more than 40,000 women throughout the nation each year,” said Governor Pritzker, who issued a proclamation declaring October 21 is Mammography Day in Illinois. “But thanks to modern medicine, we can lower that number with early detection and regular mammograms. This National Mammography Day, I encourage the women of Illinois to schedule their annual mammogram, especially those who’ve delayed their exam amidst the chaos of the pandemic.”
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