Free breast cancer screening set for Saturday

Susan G. Komen North Louisiana is hosting a Pink Ribbon Pop-Up Breast Cancer Screening and Open House Saturday.

From 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the Webster Parish Library’s Stewart Center, located at 521 East and West Street in Minden, the purpose of the screenings and open house is to bring awareness of the high mortality rate of breast cancer in Webster Parish. At the event, the public will learn more about breast cancer and how Webster Parish is fighting back.

Komen North Louisiana has partnered with area rural churches across Webster Parish to plan the event, which will include free breast cancer screenings for women who don’t have health insurance. Door prizes, free t-shirts and other prizes will be provided, along with free refreshments. Special guest speakers will also update the community on local resources and support available in Webster Parish.

Speakers will include Kelly Warren, APRN, FNP-C, Minden Cancer Center. She will speak about “Warning Signs of Breast Cancer” at 10:30 a.m. At 11:30 a.m., Brenda Autry, breast cancer survivor, will speak about “Life After Breast Cancer.” At 12:30 p.m., LaTashia Upton, MD, of The Women’s Clinic and Minden Medical Center, will speak about “Women’s Health.” At 1:30 p.m., Kelley Matkins, of Susan G. Komen North Louisiana, will speak about “How Volunteers Can Make a Difference.”

Komen North Louisiana is proud to join with Partners in Wellness Mobile Mammography (PIW), St. Luke’s Episcopal Mobile Medical Ministry and Martin Luther King Health Center for the event. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Highland Clinic-Minden Cancer Center and Minden Medical Center Women’s Clinic are sponsors of the event.

“Last fall, we received a generous donation from the Black Rural Church Coalition of Webster Parish and were inspired to plan this event with them to make sure everyone in rural communities has access to breast cancer screenings,” Lindsay Dean, executive director of Komen North Louisiana, said. “This event is just one way to show the community that money raised here stays here to help save lives here. Our Race for the Cure and other fundraisers, along with sponsorships, help make screening events like this possible.”
For more information, visit komennorthlouisiana.org.