CHA to Host Day of Free Health Screenings for Vulnerable Women
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA), an academic community health system serving Cambridge, Somerville, and Boston's metro-north region, will once again host See Test & Treat, a day of free health screenings for uninsured and underinsured women on Saturday, October 26. The event will be held at CHA Cambridge Hospital (1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge) from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. and is intended for women, transmen and non-binary people, ages 21-65, who lack health insurance and access to quality care.
See, Test & Treat is a national program sponsored by the College of American Pathologists Foundation to offer uninsured and under-insured people the opportunity to get important health screenings and information. In a single day, participants receive a pelvic and clinical breast exam, a Pap test with same-day results, a screening mammogram with prompt results, a connection to follow-up care, interpretive services, translated educational materials, health and wellness information, and a healthy snack. Child activities are provided to further reduce barriers to getting these important tests.
"See, Test and Treat embodies CHA's mission of caring for everyone, regardless of their ability to pay, immigration status or gender identity," said Rebecca Osgood, MD, chief of pathology, who is spearheading the event at CHA. "The most important piece of all of the free care that we provide is that it could possibly save lives. We are excited to build on the success of last year's event where we were able to serve 60+ women. Most of them had no insurance and others had such limited insurance it created a barrier for them to receive care."
More than 100 CHA staff, including pathologists, OBGYN providers, cytologists and radiologists, are volunteering their time to make See, Test and Treat possible.
In addition to the screenings, the day will be filled with other fun activities including a range of health education programs focused on nutrition, breast self-exams, and HIV screening and counseling. See, Test and Treat at CHA will also have a health fair component filled with mental health resources, smoking cessation information, colon cancer screenings, oral health information and much more.