Howard Resolves Woman's Breast Cancer Scare

What do you do when you have no insurance, but you have a serious pain In your breast?

26-year old Monique Bell is stuck in the quagmire that is this nation's current healthcare crisis.

Laid off last year and still looking for a job, she's unemployed, uninsured and living with friends. But for the last two weeks she'd been experiencing an unbearable pain in her left breast and feared it could be something serious.

"It's hurts, I can't do anything! If I accidently hit it. It's a pain it will make me cry. Excrutiating pain, I just try to refrain from anything that is going to affect that area."

Fearing that it could it be breast cancer, she tried to see a doctor, but kept hitting a dead end.

"I tried calling a couple of places, because I don't have insurance and I didn't want to be surprised and get stuck with a bill or sometimes they give you a high co-pay..so I called a couple of places and every place was like, "Oh, you have to be 40 or we don't have it for you right now...I just couldn't find any help. Even Planned Parenthood said they don't do it, so I couldn't find any place."

Finally she contacted Help Me Howard to find out if he could help her get access to a health clinic or inexpensive check-up.

Howard reached out to the American Cancer Society on Monique's behalf and that's where she found out she was eligible for their "Cancer Services Program."

The CSP is funded thru the New York State Department of Health and the CDC. The program helps low-income and uninsured women get access to life-saving breast exams and treatment. While geared primarily towards women 40-years and older, they do accept younger women who have a history of breast cancer in their family. Monique's grandmother had breast cancer.

Women under 40 are accepted based on a sliding scale of payment, with a participating public hospital or community health center.

It can cost anywhere from $10 to $35 for an initial screening with a physician, who is part of the CSP Program. If the patient needs further evaluation or a follow-up, they are then enrolled in the CSP Program, which covers the cost of the diagnostics and treatment.

The American Cancer Society is aware that the biggest barriers to cancer treatment is lack of insurance and access to care. This program is designed to help low-income and uninsured women get that access and treatment.

The CSP Program helped Monique book an appointment for an exam at King's County Hospital, which participates in the CSP Program.

Turns out that while Monique had a lot of pain in her left breast, it was not breast cancer.
Her exam revealed that she was having a bad reaction to her birth control pills, nothing more.

The American Cancer Society and King's County Hospital both encourage that women get regular breast exams. Do NOT wait until you feel something wrong like Monique did.

To learn more about the American Cancer Society or to get help, call them any time, day or night, 365 days a week at 1-800-227-2345 or visit their website at www.cancer.org.