A new partnership between the state and Walgreens has apparently sparked renewed interest in Breast Cancer Awareness Month as women rush to sign up to be screened through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program.
A new partnership between the state and Walgreens has apparently sparked renewed interest in Breast Cancer Awareness Month as women rush to sign up to be screened through the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program.
Through the partnership, Walgreens is providing $50,000 worth of $25 gift cards to women who sign up for the IBCCP. The first 2,000 women to sign up for IBCCP will receive a $25 gift card from Walgreens.
“I am very pleased to announce the early success of this very worthwhile and important program,” said Gov. Rod Blagojevich. “Early detection of breast cancer can, in many cases, mean the difference between life and death. I urge all women to get screened this month.”
More than 600 women have already signed up.
“Many women are often focused on taking care of others – their children, husbands, parents – and don’t take the time to take care of themselves. They put off getting their annual mammogram and screenings, sometimes until it’s too late,” said Lieutenant Gov. Louanner Peters. “Thanks to Walgreens, we now have a wonderful incentive for women to sign up for the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, and make and keep their appointment to get screened.” And to make sure every woman knows the importance of routine breast cancer screenings, beauty salons in the state are also joining the initiative.
Salon professionals across the state attended trainings to learn about the importance of early detection and screenings, and how to become an advocate for routine breast and cervical cancer screenings.
“Beauty salons are often places where women talk about everything,” said Y’lonn Parker, owner of Y’lonn Salon in Chicago. “By training those of us who work in salons about the importance of early detection and screenings, we can pass this information on to our clients.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 98 percent when it is detected early. When breast cancer is detected in later stages, after it has progressed and transferred to other parts of the body, the survival rate drops to 26 percent. Cervical cancer is also treatable if detected early.
Health officials said the best way to detect cancer early is to have regular breast and cervical cancer screenings. Through IBCCP, eligible women 35 or older can get cervical cancer screenings, and women 40 or older can get breast cancer screenings. Younger women who have symptoms may also be eligible.
If cancer is found, IBCCP offers access to low-cost treatment. Even if a woman has been diagnosed with cancer outside of the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, they may still receive low-cost treatment. Women can sign up for the IBCCP during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by calling the Women’s Health Line at 1-888- 522-1282 or logging onto www.cancerscreening.illinois.gov.
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