CLINICAL SERVICES AVAILABLE

Clinics for breast and cervical cancer screenings and family planning are available at the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center.

Both clinics are offered from 1 to 4 Thursdays, said Jane Wernsman, the health center's nursing supervisor, and are funded through grants from the Missouri Department of Health.

"We're just really excited to be able to provide these services and information and education as well as the actual screenings," Wernsman said.

Screenings for breast and cervical cancer are geared toward low-income women "who might not be able to obtain these screening services financially," she said.

The screenings include a pap test, pelvic exam and clinical breast exam.

The health center also will pay for mammograms, fine needle breast aspirations and follow-ups for abnormal pap tests if needed for women who meet age and income guidelines, Wernsman said.

The cancer screenings are open to women at or below 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines. In some cases, individuals with Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance may qualify for the clinical services, she said.

Women 18 and older should have pap smears and clinical breast exams annually, she said.

By age 40, women should have had their first mammogram, and mammograms are recommended every one to two years for women 40 to 49. Women 50 and older should have mammograms annually.

County health nurses also will provide follow-up, outreach and patient counseling services as part of the screenings clinic, Wernsman said.

The screenings are geared toward decreasing cancer mortality through early detection, she said.

Family planning clinics will provide counseling, information and the means to obtain contraceptive methods, Wernsman said.

No income guidelines have been established for the family planning clinic, she said, but patients will be asked to make contributions toward the cost of physical exams and contraceptives.

The family clinic will include a clinical breast exam and basic physical exam, Wernsman said. Both clinics will include information about performing self breast exams, she said.

The two clinics will provide much-needed medical services for women in Cape County, she said.

"We have realized and the state has helped us identify that there was an ever-increasing need for women's screening services at an affordable price," Wernsman said.

Women needing services may have to wait too long for an appointment with their regular doctor "or they may put it off because of the price," she said.

Appointments are required for both the breast and cervical cancer screenings and the family planning clinics.

WHERE TO CALL

To schedule an appointment or for more information call the Cape County Public Health Center at 335-7846.