The Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force launched a new city wide initiative called Beyond October! to provide over 800 free mammograms to uninsured women. Uninsured women can call 312-942-1899 or visit chicagobreastcancer.org to sign up for a mammogram. Mammograms will be provided on a first come first served basis until all free mammograms have been depleted.

The Beyond October! initiative aims to emphasize the importance of mammograms beyond Breast Cancer Awareness month and will help to lessen waitlists in the State’s Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program by providing over 800 free mammograms to uninsured women in Chicago. This year the state’s program for uninsured women, the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program received another funding cut. Last year, the program ran out of screening dollars in January – half way through the fiscal year. This year, the funding is even lower. Given the fact that women of color are more likely to be uninsured, this funding crisis can only drive up Chicago’s already high disparity in breast cancer survival.

Hospitals Donating Free Mammograms
Hospital # of Free Mammograms
Rush University Medical Center 200
University of Chicago 200
St. Bernard Hospital 150 to Screen to Live program
Roseland Hospital 100
University of Illinois Hospital and Health system 100
Alexian Brothers Medical Center 50
Rush Oak Park Hospital 50
Advocate Christ 35
Advocate South Suburban 15
Northwestern Memorial 100+ through partners
Mercy Hospital and Medical Center key partner for diagnostic follow up