Free Women’s Health Fair

Screening and early detection of breast and cervical cancer is the most effective way to successfully overcome and survive this dire diagnosis. With that in mind, the Shoals Community Clinic, in partnership with the UNA Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions, Florence Pathology Services, Tri-State Center for Breast Health, and Lauderdale County Radiology, will host the annual Catherine Barnes Women’s Health Fair on April 11th from 9am to 2pm at the Shoals Community Clinic at 309-B Handy Homes in Florence.

The fair will offer free cervical and breast exams, free mammograms and pap smears, with some restrictions, for women age 50-64 who do not have health insurance or a primary health care provider, and for women 65 and over who do not have Medicare Part A. This is a part of the clinic’s Well Woman Project, and is supported by the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. This program is part of a nation-wide initiative launched by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which has offered over 9 million cancer screenings and provided follow-up treatment to over 200,000 women. This program has benefited thousands of women in the state who would not have had access to this preventative care otherwise. Because of this program, hundreds of lives of women in Alabama are saved each year.

The Catherine Barnes Women’s Health Fair is named after one the clinic’s founding officers and first directors, Catherine Semmes Barnes, who was an inspiration to women fighting this disease. Experts estimate that about one out of every eight women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life. Early detection is a key factor in treating and surviving a possible cancer diagnosis, so it is very important that everyone consult with their health care provider to schedule regular exams.

For more information or to set up an appointment for the health fair, call the Shoals Community Clinic at (256) 760-4713.