Women’s Health Screenings offer free Pap Smears sponsored by the Pink Ribbon Society 

Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center and the Cancer Center at Methodist Hospitals are eager to assist patients; both entities have noticed that some patients are hesitant to schedule screenings and proper testing to identify cancer and other health issues. For this reason, the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center decided to host the first Women’s Health Screenings event in 2024 and proudly offered it again this year on Saturday, October 11.

“We found that women who weren’t scheduling their annual mammograms were also putting off important screenings,” said Jennifer Sanders, Manager, Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center. “In our oncology meetings, we recognized that there were patients who were also not having pap smears. We came up with this screening event, offering a pap smear and mammogram for women who were not following either of these health screening guidelines.”

At this year’s free Women’s Health Screenings, 25 women registered for a free pap smear, conducted by the Cancer Center and funded by the Pink Ribbon Society. Participating women also had the opportunity to schedule a same-day mammogram at the event, learn about women’s health and cancer prevention, and connect with representatives from the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center, the Cancer Center at Methodist Hospitals, Pink Ribbon Society, and American Cancer Society.

“This is our second event,” said Bethany Wignall, Cancer Center Nurse Navigator. “The Pink Ribbon Society grant provides an opportunity for 25 women to have their Pap Smears completed. I think this is a great opportunity for women in our community who may not have the resources or face challenges when scheduling their annual screenings. We don’t even broach the subject of insurance, so they can come here and get their healthcare needs taken care of in a safe and nurturing women’s health space.”

This event would not be possible without the collaboration of the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center and the Cancer Center at Methodist Hospitals, as well as the generous funding from Pink Ribbon Society.

“We appreciate the on-call relationship between the Cancer Center and the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center,” Sanders said. “Both teams work really hard covering women’s health, so we love that we can come together and partner like this on such an important event. We appreciate all the support we get from those departments.”

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to do this event and for the support from Pink Ribbon Society. We hope to continue making an impact in the community and keep offering this in the future,” Wignall said.

For more information about the Northwest Indiana Breast Care Center, click here.