The Walker County Health Department, 603 East Villanow Street, LaFayette, will provide free breast exams Thursday, October 19, from 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Gifts and refreshments will also be provided.

“A nurse trained to perform clinical breast exams will provide screening, and if it’s determined you should get a mammogram, we will refer you to a local provider,” says health department Nurse Manager Tammy Franklin, “which will be free if you qualify for our Breast-and-Cervical Cancer Program.”

“It’s important to get regular breast exams because early detection is your best chance to find cancer in the early stages,” Franklin says. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early, and hasn’t spread, the five-year relative survival rate is 99%.

“To keep your breasts healthy, you should get a breast exam every one to three years from ages 25 to 39” Franklin says. “Once you turn 40, get a breast exam every year.”