Women’s Health Fair

The Shoals Community Clinic and UNA’s Anderson College of Nursing & Health Professions will present the Catherine Barnes Women’s Health Fair on April 21 and April 22 (times by appointment). Due to the COVID pandemic, many have postponed these important procedures; however, breast and cervical cancer continue to be major causes of women’s illness and death, and it is important to receive these preventative screenings.

This health fair will offer free cervical and breast exams, free mammograms and pap smears, with some restrictions, for women age 40-64 who do not have health insurance or a primary health care provider, and for women 65 and over who only have Medicare Part A.

This program is supported by the Alabama Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (ABCCEDP). This program is part of a nation-wide initiative launched by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which has offered cancer screenings to over 5 million women. This program has benefited thousands of women in the state who would not have had access to this preventative care otherwise.

The Catherine Barnes Women’s Health Fair is named after one the clinic’s founding officers and first directors, Catherine Semmes Barnes, who was an inspiration to women fighting this disease.

Experts estimate that about one out of every eight women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life. Early detection is a key factor in treating and surviving a possible cancer diagnosis, so it is very important that everyone consult with their health care provider to schedule regular exams.

This program is made possible by partnerships with the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions at UNA, Florence Pathology Service, Tri-State Center for Breast Health, Lauderdale County Radiology, and the ABCCEDP Program.

For more information, or to set up an appointment, call the Shoals Community Clinic at (256) 760-4713.