Partnership allows women in need to receive free screening mammograms at two VPFW locations.
As a sponsor of Bowl for Pink and other Reach Out For Life fundraisers over the years, VPFW has become a huge supporter of the organization’s mission to provide access to free breast health services to women who are lower income and underinsured. Now, the practice is jumping on board as the newest Reach Out For Life provider of free screening mammograms.
Women in need can receive a free screening at VPFW’s St. Francis or Prince George location. They will first need to contact Reach Out For Life, which can provide a referral and schedule their mammogram at VPFW.
The free screening mammograms received at VPFW will be read by Radiology Associates of Richmond. VPFW will send the patient their results, and if additional imaging is necessary, Reach Out For Life will help with next steps.
Screening mammograms help catch cancer in its early stages when it’s easiest to treat, which is why it’s so important for women to stay on top of their annual scans. VPFW has been offering free mammograms (also read by Radiology Associates of Richmond) during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October for several years, so becoming a partner to Reach Out for Life was a no-brainer.
“If we have the capacity to help Reach Out for Life give more women in need access to screening mammograms that could save their lives, then why wouldn’t we want to do that?” said Bridget Blakemore, Chief Operations Officer at VPFW.
VPFW expanded its screening mammography services in 2021, building a brand new mammography suite at its office near St. Francis Medical Center as well as adding an additional mammogram machine to double mammography capacity in its Prince George office.