No insurance? We've got your protection against cancer

ALERT: The Cancer Screening will be held at the

CBID famers market this weekend!

For many people, consistent medical care is simply out of reach. Their jobs don't offer health insurance, and that means living in perpetual fear of getting sick or hurt. But for the last 10 years, the Albany County Cancer Services Program has been trying to ease that fear by offering free screenings, and treatment for those diagnosed with cancer.

The program is aimed at early detection, and so it promotes annual exams for everyone, regardless of income, said Christie Ray-Marchetti, Outreach Manager for Cancer Services. "We want to try to catch cancer early when it's most treatable," Marchetti said.

The Cancer Services provides annual pap tests, clinical breast exams, mammograms for women and colorectal screenings and prostate education for men. If cancer is found, the program will also cover chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, "whatever they need," Marchetti said.

The program works through a network of care providers, including private physicians and area hospitals like Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Hospital. "People have a choice when it comes to who they see," Marchetti said. "It's not a clinic."

Funded by the New York State Department of Health, the Cancer Services Program offers cancer screenings to women over 40, men over 50, and anyone who doesn't have health insurance, or whose insurance doesn't cover screenings.

Last year, the program conducted 650 screenings in this county alone.

For their convenience, patients can get screenings in the evenings, and the program also works with the Bellevue Mobile Mammogram Van to bring medical care right to people's work and neighborhood. The Cancer Services Program has physicians right off Central Avenue, Marchetti added.

Now there is simply no excuse not to get regular, annual cancer screenings and protect yourself against cancer.

To schedule your free cancer screening, call the Cancer Services Program Intake Coordinator at 454-4055, or check out one of these upcoming screening events:

Upcoming Events:

September 14, 10am-2pm

Cancer screenings at Koinonia Health Center, 553 Clinton Avenue

October 6, 3pm-6pm

Cancer screenings at the Albany Public Library, 161 Washington Avenue