Local health educator talks Breast Cancer Awareness (audio)

On this morning’s Meet Cortland County segment:

Courtney McCallen is a public health educator with the Cortland County Health Department. She joined WXHC via telephone for a discussion closing out Breast Cancer Awareness month.

October was taken to commemorate the most commonly diagnosed and second-leading cause of cancer deaths among women in New York.

Statewide, over 16,200 women are diagnosed and approximately 2,500 die from the disease each year.

The good news is that mammogram screening rates are improving.

In New York, women between the ages of 50 and 74 who report having a mammogram within the past two years increased from 82.1% in 2018 to 83.3% in 2019.

Last year, more than 2.4 million received a breast screening.

McCallen works under the local Cancer Services Program, which also reaches those who qualify in Cayuga and Tompkins Counties.

The mission of the program is to reach all uninsured/under-insured residents in these areas to provide free breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screenings to reduce local cancer rates.

Call 1-833-837-4931 to find out if you are eligible for the program.

Press play below for the interview: