COLUMBIA - The American Cancer Society estimates 3,800 women in Missouri will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
But an increasing number do not have health insurance.
A clinic on wheels brings screening services to those women at 45 sites across central Missouri. Ellis Fischel nurses drive mammograms and breast exams to 3,000 rural Missourians with their cancer screening van.
"Our goal is to get as many people screened in central Missouri as we can, and to make it easy," said Debra Deeken, cancer screening manager.
Thanks to a grant from Susan G. Komen foundation, nurses say they can help women who have a hard time getting to clinics, and give free mammograms for some uninsured women.
"We're going to see 150 women this year that are uninsured and undeserved that we can give free mammograms to women in 15 counties that Komen has set, so we're excited about that, " said Cathy Price, a cancer screening nurse.
The Missouri Department of Social Services says the number of uninsured women in Missouri is on the rise....and demand for programs like the screening van is clear.
"We typically see anywhere between 15 to 25 patients a day," said Deeken.
Thanks to the grant, 150 of those women will get the help they could otherwise not afford.
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