In 2021, grant funding from the Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, provided a boost to Yes, Mamm! CHI Saint Joseph Health Foundations, in partnership with CHI Saint Joseph Health Partners, launched another program, Yes, Cerv!, to provide free cervical cancer screenings and treatments for eligible women who are uninsured and underinsured.
In the two years since Yes, Cerv! started, it has supported more than 50 patients and covered expenses for 88 services, including screenings and treatments.
Yes, Mamm! and Yes, Cerv! program coordinator Tracy Colon, BSN, RN, said both programs are inclusive and the goal is to provide every woman the support she needs.
“These no-cost programs help people who have been left behind,” Colon said. “I take brochures to housekeepers at hotels, hostesses at restaurants, estheticians, hair stylists — people who are working but may not have automatic health care benefits. We want to empower these women to take control of their health by calling us to get their preventive cancer screenings.”
Colon said most referrals to Yes, Mamm! and Yes, Cerv! come through Kentucky CancerLink and the CHI Saint Joseph Health HOPE line, where anyone in need of a screening or follow-up care can call to schedule an appointment.
“Kentucky CancerLink provides support throughout the entire process, from scheduling to follow-ups,” Colon said. “They also have Spanish-speaking navigators who can attend appointments with patients to help them with the process.”