Van travels to Cenla parishes to offer free breast, cervical and colorectal screens

The Cancer Screening Van, which suspended services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has resumed its clinics in Central Louisiana parishes.

The van is a feature of CMAP’s Cancer Screening Project, a program that helps residents get access to free medical screenings for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Early detection for these cancers has been shown to promote longer, healthier lives. 

The van is a mobile digital mammography unit that travels throughout Central Louisiana parishes twice a month for two-day clinics. People with appointments can get digital mammograms, clinical breast exams, Pap smears and cervical exams inside the unit. In addition, residents can pick up take-home colorectal cancer screening tests called FIT kits. 

The van is a partnership between The Rapides Foundation, Cenla Medication Access Program and the Partners in Wellness Program at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center at LSU Health Shreveport. 

These services are free of charge for Central Louisiana residents who are uninsured or on Medicaid. The program follows American Cancer Society screening guidelines, which recommend how often men and women should get screened, and at what ages. 

Central Louisiana residents can get screened at any location, so they are encouraged to call for an appointment now and not wait for the mobile unit to come to their parish. To request an appointment, please call Cancer Screening Specialist Kayla Edwards at 318-767-3027 or toll-free at 1-855-767-3027. For more information and to see the full schedule of upcoming clinics, visit www.cmaprx.org/CancerScreeningProject.