DES MOINES, Iowa — The Polk County Health Department says women should not let their financial status dictate their health.
That's where the "Care for Yourself" program comes in. It offers women aged 40-64 free or reduced cancer screenings for breast and cervical cancer.
"Your health should never be on the back burner," said Polk County Health Department Public Health Communications Officer Nola Aigner Davis.
"This may be individuals who may not have health insurance, maybe underinsured, or have premiums that are high or have high deductibles," she said. "And once you're enrolled, we also help with all of the follow-up care as well."
The health department says it has served thousands of women through this program, and says early detection of these cancers could be the difference between life or death.
"We know that women entered this program and it saved their lives," Aigner Davis said. "And so we know that when we save at least one life, even one, that just has a dramatic effect on the role that we play in the community."
If you'd like to find out more about this program, call 515-286-3642 to see if you qualify. You can also read more about the program here.